Thematic Bible: His defense
Thematic Bible
Paul » His defense
Then the chief captain came near and took him, and gave orders for him to be put in chains, questioning them as to who he was and what he had done. And some said one thing and some another, among the people: and as he was not able to get a knowledge of the facts because of the noise, he gave orders for Paul to be taken into the army building. And when he came on to the steps, he was lifted up by the armed men, because of the force of the people; read more.
For a great mass of people came after them, crying out, Away with him! And when Paul was about to be taken into the building, he said to the chief captain, May I say something to you? And he said, Have you a knowledge of Greek? Are you by chance the Egyptian who, before this, got the people worked up against the government and took four thousand men of the Assassins out into the waste land? But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is not an unimportant town: I make a request to you to let me say a word to the people. And when he let him do so, Paul, from the steps, made a sign with his hand to the people, and when they were all quiet, he said to them in the Hebrew language,
For a great mass of people came after them, crying out, Away with him! And when Paul was about to be taken into the building, he said to the chief captain, May I say something to you? And he said, Have you a knowledge of Greek? Are you by chance the Egyptian who, before this, got the people worked up against the government and took four thousand men of the Assassins out into the waste land? But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is not an unimportant town: I make a request to you to let me say a word to the people. And when he let him do so, Paul, from the steps, made a sign with his hand to the people, and when they were all quiet, he said to them in the Hebrew language,
My brothers and fathers, give ear to the story of my life which I now put before you. And, hearing him talking in the Hebrew language, they became the more quiet, and he said, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia by birth, but I had my education in this town at the feet of Gamaliel, being trained in the keeping of every detail of the law of our fathers; given up to the cause of God with all my heart, as you are today. read more.
And I made attacks on this Way, even to death, taking men and women and putting them in prison. Of which the high priest will be a witness, and all the rulers, from whom I had letters to the brothers; and I went into Damascus, to take those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment. And it came about that while I was on my journey, coming near to Damascus, about the middle of the day, suddenly I saw a great light from heaven shining round me. And when I went down on the earth, a voice came to my ears saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly? And I, answering, said, Who are you; Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are attacking. And those who were with me saw the light, but the voice of him who was talking to me came not to their ears. And I said, What have I to do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Get up, and go into Damascus; and it will be made clear to you what you have to do. And because I was unable to see because of the glory of that light, those who were with me took me by the hand, and so I came to Damascus. And one Ananias, a God-fearing man, who kept the law, and of whom all the Jews in that place had a high opinion, Came to my side and said, Brother Saul, let your eyes be open. And in that very hour I was able to see him. And he said, You have been marked out by the God of our fathers to have knowledge of his purpose, and to see the Upright One and to give ear to the words of his mouth. For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and of what has come to your ears. And now, why are you waiting? get up, and have baptism, for the washing away of your sins, giving worship to his name. And it came about that when I had come back to Jerusalem, while I was at prayer in the Temple, my senses became more than naturally clear, And I saw him saying to me, Go out of Jerusalem straight away because they will not give hearing to your witness about me. And I said, Lord, they themselves have knowledge that I went through the Synagogues putting in prison and whipping all those who had faith in you: And when Stephen your witness was put to death, I was there, giving approval, and looking after the clothing of those who put him to death. And he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.
And I made attacks on this Way, even to death, taking men and women and putting them in prison. Of which the high priest will be a witness, and all the rulers, from whom I had letters to the brothers; and I went into Damascus, to take those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment. And it came about that while I was on my journey, coming near to Damascus, about the middle of the day, suddenly I saw a great light from heaven shining round me. And when I went down on the earth, a voice came to my ears saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly? And I, answering, said, Who are you; Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are attacking. And those who were with me saw the light, but the voice of him who was talking to me came not to their ears. And I said, What have I to do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Get up, and go into Damascus; and it will be made clear to you what you have to do. And because I was unable to see because of the glory of that light, those who were with me took me by the hand, and so I came to Damascus. And one Ananias, a God-fearing man, who kept the law, and of whom all the Jews in that place had a high opinion, Came to my side and said, Brother Saul, let your eyes be open. And in that very hour I was able to see him. And he said, You have been marked out by the God of our fathers to have knowledge of his purpose, and to see the Upright One and to give ear to the words of his mouth. For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and of what has come to your ears. And now, why are you waiting? get up, and have baptism, for the washing away of your sins, giving worship to his name. And it came about that when I had come back to Jerusalem, while I was at prayer in the Temple, my senses became more than naturally clear, And I saw him saying to me, Go out of Jerusalem straight away because they will not give hearing to your witness about me. And I said, Lord, they themselves have knowledge that I went through the Synagogues putting in prison and whipping all those who had faith in you: And when Stephen your witness was put to death, I was there, giving approval, and looking after the clothing of those who put him to death. And he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.