Acts 22

«أَيُّهَا الرِّجَالُ الإِخْوَةُ وَالآبَاءُ، اسْمَعُوا احْتِجَاجِي الآنَ لَدَيْكُمْ».

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

فَلَمَّا سَمِعُوا أَنَّهُ يُنَادِي لَهُمْ بِاللُّغَةِ الْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ أَعْطُوا سُكُوتًا أَحْرَى. فَقَالَ:

(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)

«أَنَا رَجُلٌ يَهُودِيٌّ وُلِدْتُ فِي طَرْسُوسَ كِيلِيكِيَّةَ، وَلكِنْ رَبَيْتُ فِي هذِهِ الْمَدِينَةِ مُؤَدَّبًا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْ غَمَالاَئِيلَ عَلَى تَحْقِيقِ النَّامُوسِ الأَبَوِيِّ. وَكُنْتُ غَيُورًا للهِ كَمَا أَنْتُمْ جَمِيعُكُمُ الْيَوْمَ.

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

وَاضْطَهَدْتُ هذَا الطَّرِيقَ حَتَّى الْمَوْتِ، مُقَيِّدًا وَمُسَلِّمًا إِلَى السُّجُونِ رِجَالاً وَنِسَاءً،

And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

كَمَا يَشْهَدُ لِي أَيْضًا رَئِيسُ الْكَهَنَةِ وَجَمِيعُ الْمَشْيَخَةِ، الَّذِينَ إِذْ أَخَذْتُ أَيْضًا مِنْهُمْ رَسَائِلَ لِلإِخْوَةِ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ، ذَهَبْتُ لآتِيَ بِالَّذِينَ هُنَاكَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ مُقَيَّدِينَ لِكَيْ يُعَاقَبُوا.

As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

فَحَدَثَ لِي وَأَنَا ذَاهِبٌ وَمُتَقَرِّبٌ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ أَنَّهُ نَحْوَ نِصْفِ النَّهَارِ، بَغْتَةً أَبْرَقَ حَوْلِي مِنَ السَّمَاءِ نُورٌ عَظِيمٌ.

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

فَسَقَطْتُ عَلَى الأَرْضِ، وَسَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا قَائِلاً لِي: شَاوُلُ، شَاوُلُ،! لِمَاذَا تَضْطَهِدُنِي؟

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

فَأَجَبْتُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ يَا سَيِّدُ؟ فَقَالَ لِي: أَنَا يَسُوعُ النَّاصِرِيُّ الَّذِي أَنْتَ تَضْطَهِدُهُ.

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

وَالَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعِي نَظَرُوا النُّورَ وَارْتَعَبُوا، وَلكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسْمَعُوا صَوْتَ الَّذِي كَلَّمَنِي.

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

فَقُلْتُ: مَاذَا أَفْعَلُ يَارَبُّ؟ فَقَالَ لِي الرَّبُّ: قُمْ وَاذْهَبْ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ، وَهُنَاكَ يُقَالُ لَكَ عَنْ جَمِيعِ مَا تَرَتَّبَ لَكَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ.

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

وَإِذْ كُنْتُ لاَ أُبْصِرُ مِنْ أَجْلِ بَهَاءِ ذلِكَ النُّورِ، اقْتَادَنِي بِيَدِي الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مَعِي، فَجِئْتُ إِلَى دِمَشْقَ.

And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

«ثُمَّ إِنَّ حَنَانِيَّا رَجُلاً تَقِيًّا حَسَبَ النَّامُوسِ، وَمَشْهُودًا لَهُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْيَهُودِ السُّكَّانِ

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

أَتَى إِلَيَّ، وَوَقَفَ وَقَالَ لِي: أَيُّهَا الأَخُ شَاوُلُ، أَبْصِرْ! فَفِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ،

Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

فَقَالَ: إِلهُ آبَائِنَا انْتَخَبَكَ لِتَعْلَمَ مَشِيئَتَهُ، وَتُبْصِرَ الْبَارَّ، وَتَسْمَعَ صَوْتًا مِنْ فَمِهِ.

And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

لأَنَّكَ سَتَكُونُ لَهُ شَاهِدًا لِجَمِيعِ النَّاسِ بِمَا رَأَيْتَ وَسَمِعْتَ.

For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

وَالآنَ لِمَاذَا تَتَوَانَى؟ قُمْ وَاعْتَمِدْ وَاغْسِلْ خَطَايَاكَ دَاعِيًا بِاسْمِ الرَّبِّ.

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

وَحَدَثَ لِي بَعْدَ مَا رَجَعْتُ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ وَكُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فِي الْهَيْكَلِ، أَنِّي حَصَلْتُ فِي غَيْبَةٍ،

And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;

فَرَأَيْتُهُ قَائِلاً لِي: أَسْرِعْ! وَاخْرُجْ عَاجِلاً مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ، لأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَقْبَلُونَ شَهَادَتَكَ عَنِّي.

And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

فَقُلْتُ: يَارَبُّ، هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي كُنْتُ أَحْبِسُ وَأَضْرِبُ فِي كُلِّ مَجْمَعٍ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِكَ.

And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

وَحِينَ سُفِكَ دَمُ اسْتِفَانُوسَ شَهِيدِكَ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَاقِفًا وَرَاضِيًا بِقَتْلِهِ، وَحَافِظًا ثِيَابَ الَّذِينَ قَتَلُوهُ.

And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

فَقَالَ لِي: اذْهَبْ، فَإِنِّي سَأُرْسِلُكَ إِلَى الأُمَمِ بَعِيدًا».

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

فَسَمِعُوا لَهُ حَتَّى هذِهِ الْكَلِمَةَِ، ثُمَّ رَفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَهُمْ قَائِلِينَ:«خُذْ مِثْلَ هذَا مِنَ الأَرْضِ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ لاَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَعِيشَ!».

And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

وَإِذْ كَانُوا يَصِيحُونَ وَيَطْرَحُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَيَرْمُونَ غُبَارًا إِلَى الْجَوِّ،

And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

أَمَرَ الأَمِيرُ أَنْ يُذْهَبَ بِهِ إِلَى الْمُعَسْكَرِ، قَائِلاً أَنْ يُفْحَصَ بِضَرَبَاتٍ، لِيَعْلَمَ لأَيِّ سَبَبٍ كَانُوا يَصْرُخُونَ عَلَيْهِ هكَذَا.

The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.

فَلَمَّا مَدُّوهُ لِلسِّيَاطِ، قَالَ بُولُسُ لِقَائِدِ الْمِئَةِ الْوَاقِفِ:«أَيَجُوزُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَجْلِدُوا إِنْسَانًا رُومَانِيًّا غَيْرَ مَقْضِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ؟»

And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

فَإِذْ سَمِعَ قَائِدُ الْمِئَةِ ذَهَبَ إِلَى الأَمِيرِ، وَأَخْبَرَهُ قَائِلاً:«انْظُرْ مَاذَا أَنْتَ مُزْمِعٌ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ! لأَنَّ هذَا الرَّجُلَ رُومَانِيٌّ».

When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

فَجَاءَ الأَمِيرُ وَقَالَ لَهُ:«قُلْ لِي: أَنْتَ رُومَانِيٌّ؟» فَقَالَ: «نَعَمْ».

Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

فَأَجَابَ الأَمِيرُ:«أَمَّا أَنَا فَبِمَبْلَغٍ كَبِيرٍ اقْتَنَيْتُ هذِهِ الرَّعَوِيَّةَ». فَقَالَ بُولُسُ:«أَمَّا أَنَا فَقَدْ وُلِدْتُ فِيهَا».

And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

وَلِلْوَقْتِ تَنَحَّى عَنْهُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مُزْمِعِينَ أَنْ يَفْحَصُوهُ. وَاخْتَشَى الأَمِيرُ لَمَّا عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ رُومَانِيٌّ، وَلأَنَّهُ قَدْ قَيَّدَهُ.

Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

وَفِي الْغَدِ إِذْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ الْيَقِينَ: لِمَاذَا يَشْتَكِي الْيَهُودُ عَلَيْهِ؟ حَلَّهُ مِنَ الرِّبَاطِ، وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يَحْضُرَ رُؤَسَاءُ الْكَهَنَةِ وَكُلُّ مَجْمَعِهِمْ. فَأَحْضَرَ بُولُسَ وَأَقَامَهُ لَدَيْهِمْ.

On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.