1«Padres y hermanos, escuchad ahora mi defensa».2Al oír que les hablaba en arameo, guardaron más silencio. Pablo continuó:3«Yo soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, pero criado en esta ciudad. Bajo la tutela de Gamaliel recibí instrucción cabal en la ley de nuestros antepasados, y fui tan celoso de Dios como cualquiera de vosotros lo es hoy día.4Perseguí a muerte a los seguidores de este Camino, arrestando y echando en la cárcel a hombres y mujeres por igual,5y así lo pueden atestiguar el sumo sacerdote y todo el Consejo de ancianos. Incluso obtuve de parte de ellos cartas para nuestros hermanos judíos en Damasco, y fui allí con el fin de traer presos a Jerusalén a los que encontrara, para que fueran castigados.6»Sucedió que a eso del mediodía, cuando me acercaba a Damasco, una intensa luz del cielo resplandeció de repente a mi alrededor.7Caí al suelo y oí una voz que me decía: “Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?”8“¿Quién eres, Señor?”, pregunté. “Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues”, me contestó él.9Los que me acompañaban vieron la luz, pero no percibieron la voz del que me hablaba.10“¿Qué debo hacer, Señor?”, le pregunté. “Levántate —dijo el Señor—, y entra en Damasco. Allí se te dirá todo lo que se ha dispuesto que hagas”.11Mis compañeros me llevaron de la mano hasta Damasco porque el resplandor de aquella luz me había dejado ciego.12»Vino a verme un tal Ananías, hombre devoto que observaba la ley y a quien respetaban mucho los judíos que allí vivían.13Se puso a mi lado y me dijo: “Hermano Saulo, ¡recibe la vista!” Y en aquel mismo instante recobré la vista y pude verlo.14Luego dijo: “El Dios de nuestros antepasados te ha escogido para que conozcas su voluntad, y para que veas al Justo y oigas las palabras de su boca.15Tú le serás testigo ante toda persona de lo que has visto y oído.16Y ahora, ¿qué esperas? Levántate, bautízate y lávate de tus pecados, invocando su nombre”.17»Cuando volví a Jerusalén, mientras oraba en el templo tuve una visión18y vi al Señor que me hablaba: “¡Date prisa! Sal inmediatamente de Jerusalén, porque no aceptarán tu testimonio acerca de mí”.19“Señor —le respondí—, ellos saben que yo andaba de sinagoga en sinagoga encarcelando y azotando a los que creen en ti;20y, cuando se derramaba la sangre de tu testigo[1] Esteban, ahí estaba yo, dando mi aprobación y cuidando la ropa de quienes lo mataban”.21Pero el Señor me replicó: “Vete; yo te enviaré lejos, a los gentiles”».
Pablo el ciudadano romano
22La multitud estuvo escuchando a Pablo hasta que pronunció esas palabras. Entonces levantaron la voz y gritaron: «¡Bórralo de la tierra! ¡Ese tipo no merece vivir!»23Como seguían gritando, tirando sus mantos y arrojando polvo al aire,24el comandante ordenó que metieran a Pablo en el cuartel. Mandó que lo interrogaran a latigazos con el fin de averiguar por qué gritaban así contra él.25Cuando lo estaban sujetando con cadenas para azotarlo, Pablo le dijo al centurión que estaba allí: ―¿Os está permitido azotar a un ciudadano romano antes de ser juzgado?26Al oír esto, el centurión fue y avisó al comandante. ―¿Qué vas a hacer? Resulta que ese hombre es ciudadano romano.27El comandante se acercó a Pablo y le dijo: ―Dime, ¿eres ciudadano romano? ―Sí, lo soy.28―A mí me costó una fortuna adquirir mi ciudadanía —le dijo el comandante. ―Pues yo la tengo de nacimiento —replicó Pablo.29Los que iban a interrogarlo se retiraron en seguida. Al darse cuenta de que Pablo era ciudadano romano, el comandante mismo se asustó de haberlo encadenado.
Pablo ante el Consejo
30Al día siguiente, como el comandante quería saber con certeza de qué acusaban los judíos a Pablo, lo desató y mandó que se reunieran los jefes de los sacerdotes y el Consejo en pleno. Luego llevó a Pablo para que compareciera ante ellos.
Apostelgeschichte 22
English Standard Version
1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” (Apg 7,2)2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language,[1] they became even more quiet. And he said: (Apg 21,40)3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel[2] according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. (5Mo 33,3; 2Kön 4,38; Lk 10,39; Joh 16,2; Apg 5,34; Apg 9,11; Apg 21,20; Apg 21,39; Apg 26,5; Röm 10,2; Röm 11,1; 2Kor 11,22; Phil 3,5; Phil 3,6)4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, (Apg 5,20; Apg 8,1; Apg 8,3; Apg 9,2; Apg 22,19; Apg 22,20; Apg 26,10)5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. (Lk 22,66; Apg 9,1; Apg 28,21; 1Tim 4,14)6“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. (Apg 9,3; Apg 26,12)7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’8And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ (Apg 26,9)9Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand[3] the voice of the one who was speaking to me. (Dan 10,7; Apg 9,7)10And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ (Apg 16,30)11And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.12“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, (Apg 9,10; Apg 10,22; Apg 24,14)13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. (Apg 9,17; Apg 9,18)14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; (Apg 3,13; Apg 3,14; Apg 9,15; Apg 9,17; Apg 22,15; Apg 22,18; Apg 26,16; 1Kor 9,1; 1Kor 15,8; Gal 1,12)15for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. (Apg 4,20; Apg 22,14; Apg 23,11)16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’ (Ps 51,2; Apg 2,38; Apg 9,14; Apg 9,18; 1Kor 6,11; Hebr 10,22)17“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance (Lk 18,10; Apg 3,1; Apg 9,26; Apg 10,10; Apg 11,5; Apg 26,20; 2Kor 12,1)18and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ (Apg 9,29)19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. (Mt 10,17; Apg 22,4; Apg 26,11)20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ (Apg 7,58; Apg 8,1; Apg 26,10; Röm 1,32; Offb 2,13)21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” (Apg 2,39; Apg 9,15)
Paul and the Roman Tribune
22Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” (Apg 21,36; Apg 25,24)23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,24the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. (Apg 21,34; Apg 22,29; Apg 23,10)25But when they had stretched him out for the whips,[4] Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” (Apg 16,37)26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”27So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”28The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”29So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. (Apg 16,38; Apg 21,33; Apg 22,24; Apg 23,27)
Paul Before the Council
30But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. (Apg 22,24; Apg 23,28)