Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that is toward you.

And when they heard that he was speaking with them in Hebrew, they were all the more quiet. And he said to them:

I am a man, a Yehudi, and I was born in Tarsus of Qiliqiya, but I was brought up in this city at the side of the feet of Gamaliel, and I was instructed perfectly in the law of our fathers, and I was zealous for Elohim, as you also all are.

And this way I persecuted even to death, while I was binding and delivering up to prison both men and women.

As the high priest bears witness about me, and all the elders, from whom I received letters to go to the brothers who are in Darmasuq, that I might bring those who were there bound to Urishlim, and they would receive a sentence of death.

And as I was going and began to draw near to Darmasuq, at midday, from under stillness, a great light from heaven flashed upon me.

And I fell on the earth, and I heard a voice that was saying to me, Sha'ul, Sha'ul, why are you persecuting me?

And I answered and said, Who are you, my Master? And he said to me, I am Y'shua the Natsraya, whom you are persecuting.

And the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who was speaking with me.

And I said, What shall I do, my Master? And our Master said to me, Rise, go to Darmasuq, and there it will be told you about everything that is commanded you to do.

And as I could not see because of the glory of that light, those who were with me took me by the hand, and I entered Darmasuq.

And a certain man, Chananya, upright in the law, as all the Yehudaye there were testifying about him.

He came to me and said to me, Shaul my brother, open your eyes. And in that very hour my eyes were opened, and I looked at him.

And he said to me, The Elohim of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear the voice from his mouth.

And you will be a witness for him to all the children of men concerning all that you have seen and heard.

And now, why do you delay? Rise, be immersed, and be cleansed from your sins while you call on his name.

And I returned and came here to Urishlim, and I prayed in the temple.

And I saw him in a vision when he said to me, Make haste and go out from Urishlim, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.

And I said, my Master, they also know that I was handing over to the house of prisoners and was beating in every synagogue those who were believing in you.

And when the blood of your witness Estefanos was being poured out, I also was standing with them and was consenting to the will of his killers, and I was keeping the clothes of those who were stoning him.

And he said to me, Go, for I am sending you far away to proclaim to the peoples.

And when they heard Paulos up to this word, they raised their voice and cried out, Let such a one be taken away from the earth, for it is not right for him to live!

And while they were shouting and throwing off their clothes and casting dust up to the sky,

the chiliarch ordered that they bring him into the fortress, and he ordered that he be examined with scourging, so that he might know for what cause they were crying out against him.

And as they were stretching him with ropes, Paulos said to the centurion who was standing over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and not condemned?

And when the centurion heard it, he approached the chiliarch and said to him: What are you doing? For this man is a Roman.

And the chiliarch approached him and said to him: Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said to him: Yes.

And the chiliarch answered and said: I acquired the Roman citizenship with a large sum of money. Paulos said to him: But I was even born in it.

And immediately those who were seeking to scourge him withdrew from him, and the chiliarch was afraid when he learned that he is a Roman, because he had bound him for scourging.

And on the next day he wanted to know truly what the accusation is that the Yehudaye were bringing against him, and he released him and commanded that the chief priests and all the assembly of their heads come, and he took Paulos and brought him down and set him among them.