1
Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας.
“Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you.”
2
Ἀκούσαντες δὲ ὅτι τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ προσεφώνει αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον παρέσχον ἡσυχίαν. καὶ φησίν·
And hearing that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more quiet. And he says:
3
⸀Ἐγώ εἰμι ἀνὴρ Ἰουδαῖος, γεγεννημένος ἐν Ταρσῷ τῆς Κιλικίας, ἀνατεθραμμένος δὲ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιήλ, πεπαιδευμένος κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου, ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τοῦ θεοῦ καθὼς πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐστε σήμερον,
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the exactness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today;
first here Jews Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios
Why this rendering
Acts.22.3 Observation
Syntactic observation
γεγεννημένος ἐν Ταρσῷ … ἀνατεθραμμένος δὲ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιήλ — born in Tarsus … brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. Three participles divide one man’s history in three — born (γεγεννημένος), brought up (ἀνατεθραμμένος), instructed (πεπαιδευμένος). ἀνατρέφω, bring up, is the verb of Moses brought up at 7:20-21, and παιδεύω is the verb of Moses instructed in all the wisdom of Egypt at 7:22 — Paul’s self-description uses the same two words as Stephen’s sketch of Moses. At the feet of Gamaliel — the Gamaliel of the council at 5:34. ζηλωτὴς τοῦ θεοῦ, zealous for God, is the word of 21:20, zealous for the law, and one word with the name Zealot (recorded at 21:20). V.1 ἀπολογία, defence, is the noun of 19:33, wanted to make a defence (ἀπολογέομαι) — the five defence speeches of Acts begin here (chapters 22, 24, 25, 26).
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “brought up … instructed” — the two verbs of Moses at 7:20-22
Basis Stephen’s Moses and Paul’s Paul are drawn with the same words — the link is kept.
4
ὃς ταύτην τὴν ὁδὸν ἐδίωξα ἄχρι θανάτου, δεσμεύων καὶ παραδιδοὺς εἰς φυλακὰς ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας,
who persecuted this Way to the death, binding and handing over to prisons both men and women,
5
ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς μαρτυρεῖ μοι καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον· παρ’ ὧν καὶ ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς Δαμασκὸν ἐπορευόμην ἄξων καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν.
as also the high priest bears witness to me, and all the eldership; from whom also, receiving letters to the brothers, I was going to Damascus to bring those who were there also bound to Jerusalem to be punished.
first here Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm
6
Ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ,
And it came to pass, as I was going and drawing near Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven flashed around me,
7
ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι· Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;
and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’
8
ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην· Τίς εἶ, κύριε; εἶπέν τε πρὸς ⸀ἐμέ· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὃν σὺ διώκεις.
And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean, whom you are persecuting.’
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
first here Nazorean Ναζωραῖος Nazōraios
9
οἱ δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ ὄντες τὸ μὲν φῶς ⸀ἐθεάσαντο τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν τοῦ λαλοῦντός μοι.
And those who were with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me.
Why this rendering
Acts.22.9 Observation
Syntactic observation
τὸ μὲν φῶς ἐθεάσαντο τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν — they saw the light, but did not hear the voice. 9:7 said hearing the voice but seeing no one (ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες). The base text prints both sentences — and the case differs: 9:7 genitive (τῆς φωνῆς), 22:9 accusative (τὴν φωνήν). There is a grammatical explanation (genitive for hearing a sound, accusative for understanding speech), but that is a claim outside the text, and this edition renders each verse as printed and does not align them. This language cannot mark the case, so the two verses appear to contradict — that the discrepancy is in the base text is recorded here. The third telling at 26:14 says all fell to the ground, differing again from 9:7 stood. V.8 Jesus the Nazorean (Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος) is absent at 9:5 and present only here — this edition keeps the difference.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “did not hear the voice” — not aligned with 9:7
Basis Both verses as printed; the case difference is recorded here.
“did not understand the voice”
Basis Harmonizes the two verses by the genitive/accusative explanation.
Rejected It corrects the text by a claim outside the text.
Lost in translation
9:7 τῆς φωνῆς (genitive) ↔ 22:9 τὴν φωνήν (accusative) — the case differs. This language cannot mark it.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
10
εἶπον δέ· Τί ποιήσω, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν πρός με· Ἀναστὰς πορεύου εἰς Δαμασκόν, κἀκεῖ σοι λαληθήσεται περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι.
And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there it will be told you about all things that are appointed for you to do.’
11
ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου, χειραγωγούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν συνόντων μοι ἦλθον εἰς Δαμασκόν.
And as I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12
Ἁνανίας δέ τις ἀνὴρ ⸀εὐλαβὴς κατὰ τὸν νόμον μαρτυρούμενος ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων Ἰουδαίων,
And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well attested by all the Jews dwelling there,
13
ἐλθὼν πρὸς ⸀ἐμὲ καὶ ἐπιστὰς εἶπέν μοι· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ἀνάβλεψον· κἀγὼ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀνέβλεψα εἰς αὐτόν.
coming to me and standing by, said to me, ‘Saul, brother, see again.’ And I, that very hour, saw again and looked at him.
14
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν προεχειρίσατό σε γνῶναι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν δίκαιον καὶ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ,
And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will and to see the righteous one and to hear a voice from his mouth,
15
ὅτι ἔσῃ μάρτυς αὐτῷ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὧν ἑώρακας καὶ ἤκουσας.
for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16
καὶ νῦν τί μέλλεις; ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα ⸀αὐτοῦ.
And now why do you delay? Rise, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Why this rendering
Acts.22.16 Observation
Syntactic observation
ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ — rise, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. The two imperatives are middle (βάπτισαι, ἀπόλουσαι) — get yourself baptized, wash away. ἀπολούομαι, wash away, occurs in the New Testament only here and at 1 Cor 6:11 — the ἀπο- form of λούω (wash, John 13:10; Acts 16:33). Calling on his name (ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα) is the phrase of 2:21, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, and 9:14, all who call on your name — the persecutor is washed with the phrase of the persecuted. V.14 ὁ δίκαιος, the righteous one, is one title with 3:14 and Stephen’s the righteous one at 7:52. προεχειρίσατο, appointed, is the verb of 3:20. V.15 μάρτυς, witness, is the word of v.20, Stephen your witness — this edition does not render it martyr.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “Stephen your witness” — μάρτυς is “witness”
Basis A meaning the word acquired later (martyr) is not read back into the base text.
17
Ἐγένετο δέ μοι ὑποστρέψαντι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ προσευχομένου μου ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει
And it came to pass, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance
18
καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν λέγοντά μοι· Σπεῦσον καὶ ἔξελθε ἐν τάχει ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ, διότι οὐ παραδέξονταί ⸀σου μαρτυρίαν περὶ ἐμοῦ.
and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and go out speedily from Jerusalem, because they will not welcome your testimony about me.’
19
κἀγὼ εἶπον· Κύριε, αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ ἤμην φυλακίζων καὶ δέρων κατὰ τὰς συναγωγὰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ σέ·
And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those who believe on you;
20
καὶ ὅτε ⸀ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν ⸀καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν.
and when the blood of Stephen your witness was being poured out, I myself also was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who were doing away with him.’
Why this rendering
Acts.22.20 Observation
Syntactic observation
καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν — I myself also was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who were doing away with him. Paul repeats in his own mouth 7:58, the witnesses laid aside their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul, and 8:1, Saul was consenting to his killing (συνευδοκῶν) — the words are the same (ἱμάτια, συνευδοκέω, ἀναιρέω), and this edition renders the three places with the same words. ἐκχέω, pour out (here passive, ἐξεχύννετο), is the verb of Luke 22:20, my blood poured out for you, and Acts 2:17-18, I will pour out my Spirit. V.22 Αἶρε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸν τοιοῦτον, away with such a one from the earth, is the cry of 21:36 and Luke 23:18 with from the earth added. V.21, far away to the nations (εἰς ἔθνη μακράν) — the word at which the crowd, listening until this word (ἄχρι τούτου τοῦ λόγου), breaks off is nations.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “consenting … keeping the garments” — the words of 7:58 and 8:1
Basis The narrator’s sentence and Paul’s are one vocabulary.
21
καὶ εἶπεν πρός με· Πορεύου, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς ἔθνη μακρὰν ἐξαποστελῶ σε.
And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the nations.’”
22
Ἤκουον δὲ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι τούτου τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν λέγοντες· Αἶρε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸν τοιοῦτον, οὐ γὰρ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν.
And they were listening to him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, “Away with such a one from the earth, for it is not fitting that he should live.”
23
⸀κραυγαζόντων ⸀τε αὐτῶν καὶ ῥιπτούντων τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ κονιορτὸν βαλλόντων εἰς τὸν ἀέρα,
And as they were crying out and flinging off their garments and throwing dust into the air,
24
ἐκέλευσεν ⸂ὁ χιλίαρχος εἰσάγεσθαι αὐτὸν⸃ εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν, ⸀εἴπας μάστιξιν ἀνετάζεσθαι αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐπιγνῷ δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν οὕτως ἐπεφώνουν αὐτῷ.
the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by scourges, so that he might learn for what cause they were shouting against him like this.
25
ὡς δὲ ⸀προέτειναν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἱμᾶσιν εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἑστῶτα ἑκατόνταρχον ὁ Παῦλος· Εἰ ἄνθρωπον Ῥωμαῖον καὶ ἀκατάκριτον ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν μαστίζειν;
And when they had stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the commander of a hundred standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”
first here Romans Ῥωμαῖος Rhōmaios
26
ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης προσελθὼν ⸂τῷ χιλιάρχῳ ἀπήγγειλεν⸃ λέγων· ⸀Τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν.
And hearing this, the commander of a hundred went to the tribune and reported, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”
27
προσελθὼν δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Λέγε μοι, ⸀σὺ Ῥωμαῖος εἶ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ναί.
And the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”
28
ἀπεκρίθη ⸀δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος· Ἐγὼ πολλοῦ κεφαλαίου τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἐκτησάμην. ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἔφη· Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι.
And the tribune answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum.” And Paul said, “But I was even born so.”
Why this rendering
Acts.22.28 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ἐγὼ πολλοῦ κεφαλαίου τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἐκτησάμην. — Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι — I acquired this citizenship for a large sum. — But I was even born so. Both sentences begin with ἐγώ, and Paul’s answer ends in one verb (γεγέννημαι, perfect) — the base text does not repeat a Roman; neither does this edition fill it in. πολιτεία, citizenship, is the noun of πολίτης, citizen, at 21:39. V.25 ἀκατάκριτον, uncondemned, is the word Paul used at Philippi (16:37) — both New Testament places are about his citizenship. V.24 μάστιξιν ἀνετάζεσθαι, examined by scourges — μάστιξ is the word of Mark 3:10 and 5:29 (scourges, of diseases), and ἀνετάζω, examine, occurs only in vv.24, 29 in the New Testament, so this edition keeps it apart from ἀνακρίνω. V.29, afraid, learning … that he had bound him — that two chains (21:33) are an offence against a Roman the base text says only through the tribune’s fear.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “But I was even born so” — “a Roman” not supplied
Basis An answer the base text ends in one verb is not lengthened.
29
εὐθέως οὖν ἀπέστησαν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ οἱ μέλλοντες αὐτὸν ἀνετάζειν· καὶ ὁ χιλίαρχος δὲ ἐφοβήθη ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν καὶ ὅτι ⸂αὐτὸν ἦν⸃ δεδεκώς.
So at once those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the tribune also was afraid, learning that he was a Roman and that he had bound him.
30
Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον βουλόμενος γνῶναι τὸ ἀσφαλὲς τὸ τί κατηγορεῖται ⸀ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔλυσεν ⸀αὐτόν, καὶ ἐκέλευσεν ⸀συνελθεῖν τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ ⸀πᾶν τὸ ⸀συνέδριον, καὶ καταγαγὼν τὸν Παῦλον ἔστησεν εἰς αὐτούς.
And on the next day, wanting to know the certainty of what he was accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the council to come together, and bringing Paul down he set him before them.