Paulo makes his defense of Tribuno Lísias - Acts Chapter 22

1 - Men, brethren, and fathers, now hear my defense before you
2 - And when they heard them speaking in the Hebrew tongue, they kept silence. And said:
3 - As for me, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and in this city which was set up at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the truth of the law of our fathers, zealous of God, as ye all are this day.
4 - And I have pursued this way unto death, and have taken, and put into prison, both male and female,
5 - As the high priest is a witness unto me, and all the counsel of the elders. And when I had received these letters unto the brethren, I went to Damascus, to bring them that were there bound together, that they might be punished.

Paul witnesses to the vision he had of Jesus on the road to Damascus
6 - And it came to pass, as I was on my way, and came nigh unto Damascus, about noon, a great light from heaven was suddenly round about me.
7 And I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 - And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 - And they that were with me saw the light indeed, and were much afraid, but they did not obey the voice of him that spoke with me.
10 - And I said, Lord, what shall I do? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go to Damascus, and there shall all things be told thee that he is commanded to do.
11 - And as I did not see, because of the splendor of that light, I was led by the hand of them that were with me, and I came to Damascus.
12 - And certain Ananias, a godly man according to the law, who had a good record of all the Jews who dwelt therein,
13 - And he came to me, and came to me, and said unto me, Saul, brother, take your sight. And that very hour I saw him.
14 - And he said, The God of our fathers hath ordained thee to know his will, and see the just one, and hear the voice of his mouth.
15 - For thou shalt be his witness unto all men, which thou hast seen and heard.
16 - And now why do you stop? Arise, and baptize, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17 - And it came to pass, when I was returning to Jerusalem, when I was praying in the temple, that I was caught out of me.
18 - And I saw him that said unto me, Hurry up, and go out quickly from Jerusalem; because they will not receive your testimony about me.
19 - And I said, Lord, they know that I cast into prison, and scourged in the synagogues those who believed in thee.
20 - And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I was also present, and consenting to his death, and hid the capes of them that slew him.
21 - And he said unto me, Go, for I will send thee to the Gentiles afar off.
22 - And they heard him unto this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Take such a man out of the land, for he must not live.
23 - And when they cried, and cast down their garments, and cast dust into the air,
24 - And the chief captain commanded that they should take him to the fortress, saying, that they should search him with stripes, that he might know what cause they cried against him. Paul declares himself a Roman citizen
25 - And when they were strapping him, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman, and not be condemned?
26 - And when the centurion heard it, he announced unto the captain, saying, See what thou shalt do, for this man is a Roman.
27 - And when the captain came, he said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said: Yes.
28 - And the captain answered, I have obtained this right as a citizen by a great sum of money.

Paul said: But I am by birth
29 - And straightway they departed from him that were to examine him; and even the tribune was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, since he had bound him.

Paul Appears Before the Sanhedrin
30 - And on the morrow, when he sought to know the cause of his accusation by the Jews, he released him from the bonds, and sent the chief priests, and all his counsel; and brought Paul, and set him before them.