1 “My friends and leaders of our nation, listen as I explain what happened!” 2 When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in Aramaic, they became even quieter. Then Paul said:
3 I am a Jew, born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. But I grew up here in Jerusalem where I was a student of Gamaliel and was taught to follow every single law of our ancestors. In fact, I was just as eager to obey God as any of you are today.
4 I made trouble for everyone who followed the Lord's Way, and I even had some of them killed. I had others arrested and put in jail. I didn't care if they were men or women. 5 The high priest and all the council members can tell you this is true. They even gave me letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, so that I could arrest people there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 One day about noon I was getting close to Damascus, when a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me?”
8 “Who are you?” I answered.
The Lord replied, “I am Jesus from Nazareth! I am the one you are so cruel to.” 9 Those who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice.
10 I asked, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
Then he told me, “Get up and go to Damascus. When you get there, you will be told what to do.” 11 The light had been so bright that I couldn't see. And the others had to lead me by the hand to Damascus.
12 In that city there was a man named Ananias, who faithfully obeyed the Law of Moses and was well liked by all the Jewish people living there. 13 He came to me and said, “Saul, my friend, you can now see again!”
At once I could see. 14 Then Ananias told me, “The God that our ancestors worshiped has chosen you to know what he wants done. He has chosen you to see the One Who Obeys God and to hear his voice. 15 You must tell everyone what you have seen and heard. 16 What are you waiting for? Get up! Be baptized, and wash away your sins by praying to the Lord.”
17 After this I returned to Jerusalem and went to the temple to pray. There I had a vision 18 of the Lord who said to me, “Hurry and leave Jerusalem! The people won't listen to what you say about me.”
19 I replied, “Lord, they know that in many of our synagogues I arrested and beat people who had faith in you. 20 Stephen was killed because he spoke for you, and I stood there and cheered them on. I even guarded the clothes of the men who murdered him.”
21 But the Lord told me to go, and he promised to send me far away to the Gentiles.
22 The crowd listened until Paul said this. Then they started shouting, “Get rid of this man! He doesn't deserve to live.” 23 They kept shouting. They waved their clothes around and threw dust into the air.
Paul and the Roman Army Commander
24 The Roman commander ordered Paul to be taken into the fortress and beaten with a whip. He did this to find out why the people were screaming at Paul.
25 While the soldiers were tying Paul up to be beaten, he asked the officer standing there, “Is it legal to beat a Roman citizen before he has been tried in court?”
26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and said, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”
27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes,” Paul answered.
28 The commander then said, “I paid a lot of money to become a Roman citizen.”
But Paul replied, “I was born a Roman citizen.”
29 The men who were about to beat and question Paul quickly backed off. And the commander himself was frightened when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
Paul Is Tried by the Council
30 The next day the commander wanted to know the real reason why the Jewish leaders had brought charges against Paul. So he had Paul's chains removed, and he ordered the chief priests and the whole council to meet. Then he had Paul led in and made him stand in front of them.
Pāvila aizstāvības runa
1 “Vīri, brāļi un tēvi, tagad uzklausiet, ko sacīšu sevis aizstāvībai.” 2 Kad ļaudis dzirdēja, ka viņš runā aramiešu valodā, iestājās pilnīgs klusums. Pāvils turpināja: 3 “Es esmu jūds, dzimis Kilikijas Tarsā, bet uzaudzināts šeit, šajā pilsētā , izglītots stingri sentēvu bauslībā pie Gamaliēla kājām, dedzīgs Dievam, kādi jūs šodien visi esat. 4 Pārliecības dēļ es līdz nāvei vajāju šīs ticības vīrus un sievas, tos ķēdēs kaldams un mezdams cietumā. 5 Augstais priesteris un visa vecajo sapulce var liecināt par mani, ka es saņēmu no viņiem vēstules pret brāļiem Damaskā un devos turp, lai saistītu tos, kas tur atradās, un vestu uz Jeruzālemi sodīt.
Pāvils stāsta par notikumu uz Damaskas ceļa
(Apd 9:1–19Apd 26:12–18)6 Kad es biju ceļā un jau tuvojos Damaskai, ap dienas vidu man visapkārt pēkšņi atmirdzēja spilgta gaisma no debesīm. 7 Es nokritu zemē un dzirdēju balsi man sakām: Saul, Saul, kādēļ tu mani vajā? 8 Bet es atbildēju: kas tu esi, Kungs? Viņš man sacīja: es esmu Jēzus, Nācarietis, ko tu vajā. 9 Mani ceļabiedri gaismu gan redzēja, bet balsi, kas ar mani runāja, nedzirdēja. 10 Es jautāju: Kungs, ko lai es daru? Tad Kungs man sacīja: celies, ej uz Damasku, un tur tev pateiks visu, kas tev jādara. 11 Tad ceļabiedri mani, aiz rokām turēdami, ieveda Damaskā, jo, gaismas apžilbināts, es neko nevarēju redzēt. 12 Tur pie manis ieradās kāds dievbijīgs vīrs, vārdā Hananja, kas bija uzticīgs bauslībai un par ko visi turienes jūdi liecināja labu. 13 Viņš, pienācis man klāt, sacīja: brāli Saul, topi atkal redzīgs! Tajā pašā brīdī es viņu ieraudzīju. 14 Hananja man sacīja: mūsu tēvu Dievs ir tevi izredzējis, lai tu izprastu viņa gribu un ieraudzītu Taisno, un dzirdētu balsi no viņa mutes, 15 jo tu būsi liecinieks visu cilvēku priekšā par to, ko esi redzējis un dzirdējis. 16 Un tagad, ko tu vēl vilcinies? Celies, topi kristīts un nomazgā savus grēkus, piesaukdams viņa vārdu!
Pāvils stāsta par savu uzdevumu sludināt pagāniem
17 Tad es atgriezos Jeruzālemē. Reiz, Dievu lūdzot, es, gara aizrauts, 18 ieraudzīju viņu, un viņš mani uzrunāja: steigšus ej prom no Jeruzālemes, tādēļ ka tava liecība par mani netiks pieņemta. 19 Es sacīju: Kungs, viņi zina, ka es sinagogās gūstīju un situ tos, kas tev uzticīgi. 20 Kad tika izlietas tava liecinieka Stefana asinis, es arī stāvēju klāt un biju vienis prātis ar tiem, kas viņu nogalināja, un sargāju viņu drēbes. 21 Bet Kungs uz mani sacīja: dodies ceļā, jo es gribu tevi sūtīt tālu prom pie pagāniem.”
Pāvils un romiešu tribūns
22 Pūlis līdz šiem vārdiem viņā klausījās, bet tad sāka kliegt: “Nost tādu no zemes, tāds nedrīkst palikt dzīvs!” 23 Pūlis klaigāja, plēsa drēbes un svieda zemi gaisā, 24 tādēļ tribūns pavēlēja Pāvilu ievest karaspēka mītnē, lika pērt ar pletnēm un pratināt, lai uzzinātu, kādēļ pūlis tā kliedz pret viņu. 25 Kad tie viņu sēja ar siksnām, Pāvils jautāja centurionam, kas stāvēja klāt: “Vai jums ir ļauts pērt Romas pilsoni, kas nav notiesāts?” 26 To dzirdējis, centurions gāja pie tribūna un jautāja: “Ko darīsim? Šis cilvēks taču ir romietis.” 27 Tribūns pienāca klāt un viņam jautāja: “Saki man – vai tu esi romietis?” Viņš atbildēja: “Jā.” 28 Tad tribūns teica: “Es pilsonību esmu nopircis par lielu naudu.” Bet Pāvils sacīja: “Es tāds esmu piedzimis.” 29 Tie, kas gribēja viņu pratināt, tūlīt pat no viņa atstājās; arī tribūns bija nobijies, uzzinājis, ka Pāvils, kuru viņš bija sagūstījis, ir romietis.
Pāvils sinedrija priekšā
30 Nākamajā dienā, gribēdams skaidri zināt, par ko jūdi Pāvilu apsūdz, tribūns viņu atraisīja no važām un pavēlēja virspriesteriem un visam sinedrijam sapulcēties. Tad viņš atveda Pāvilu un lika tam nostāties viņu priekšā.
