Veritable King James Version
1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,
5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went to bring those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.”
6“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.
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.’”
9“Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
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.’
11And since I could not see because of the glory 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 person according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
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.
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;’”
15“‘for you will be a witness for Him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’”
17“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
18and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’
19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.’”
20“‘And when the blood of Stephen Your witness was shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
21And He said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a person from the earth! For he is not fit to live.”
23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing 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.
25But as they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a person who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”
26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this person 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 was born a citizen.”
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.
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.
Translation notes
The NA28 Greek text uses “ἀδελφοί καὶ πατέρες” in verse 1, translated as “brothers and fathers” gender-neutrally, as a formal address to the crowd, echoing the KJV’s “men, brethren, and fathers.” “Hebrew language” renders “Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ,” likely Aramaic, per Acts 21:40 and the KJV. “Defense” translates “ἀπολογίαν,” preserving the KJV’s legal tone. “They” refers to the crowd, kept neutral for “αὐτῶν.” No divine pronouns appear in this section.
“Jew” and “men and women” render “Ἰουδαῖος” and “ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας,” retaining gender-specific terms where explicit in the NA28. “Brothers” and “those” translate “ἀδελφοί” and “τοὺς ὄντας” gender-neutrally. Capitalized “God” follows instructions. “This Way” renders “τὴν Ὁδὸν ταύτην,” referring to Christianity, per Acts 19:9, 23. “At the feet of Gamaliel” echoes the KJV’s educational detail, per the NA28.
Capitalized “Me,” “You,” “Lord,” “He,” and “Jesus” follow instructions, referring to Jesus. The account retells Acts 9:3–6, per the NA28. “Great light from heaven” renders “φῶς ἱκανὸν οὐρανόθεν,” echoing the KJV’s supernatural imagery. “Saul, Saul” preserves the Hebrew repetition, as in the KJV. “Jesus of Nazareth” translates “Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος,” emphasizing Jesus’s identity, per the NA28.
“Those” translates “οἱ σὺν ἐμοί” gender-neutrally, referring to Paul’s companions. Capitalized “One” and “Lord” follow instructions, referring to Jesus. “Did not understand the voice” renders “τὴν φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν,” clarifying Acts 9:7, per the NA28, echoing the KJV’s distinction. “Glory of that light” preserves the KJV’s radiant imagery. The narrative aligns with Acts 9:3–8.
“Person” translates “ἀνὴρ” for Ananias, gender-neutral before naming, per the NA28. “Brother” renders “ἀδελφός,” gender-neutral in context. Capitalized “God,” “His,” and “Righteous One” (Jesus) follow instructions. “God of our fathers” echoes the KJV’s ancestral phrase, per the NA28. “Receive your sight” translates “ἀνάβλεψον,” preserving the KJV’s miraculous restoration. The account aligns with Acts 9:10–17.
“Everyone” translates “πάντας ἀνθρώπους” gender-neutrally. Capitalized “Him” and “His” (Jesus) follow instructions. “Wash away your sins” renders “ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου,” echoing the KJV’s baptismal theology, per the NA28. “Calling on His name” translates “ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,” preserving the KJV’s emphasis on invoking Jesus. The narrative continues from Acts 9:18.
Capitalized “Him,” “Me,” “Lord,” and “You” (Jesus) follow instructions. “Those” and “they” translate “τοὺς πιστεύοντας” and “αὐτοί” gender-neutrally, referring to believers and the crowd. “Fell into a trance” renders “γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει,” per the NA28, echoing the KJV’s “in a trance.” “Testimony about Me” preserves the KJV’s Christ-centered focus. This vision is unique to Acts 22.
Capitalized “Your,” “He,” and “I” (Jesus) follow instructions. “Witness” translates “μάρτυρος,” referring to Stephen (Acts 7:58), echoing the KJV’s “martyr.” “Those” and “Gentiles” render “τῶν ἀναιρούντων” and “ἔθνη” gender-neutrally, per the NA28. “Approving” translates “συνευδοκῶν,” preserving the KJV’s detail of Paul’s complicity. The mission to the Gentiles aligns with Acts 9:15.
“They” and “person” translate “αὐτοί” and “τοιοῦτος” gender-neutrally, referring to the crowd and Paul. “Away with such a person” renders “αἶρε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς,” echoing Acts 21:36 and the KJV’s violent outcry. “Throwing off their cloaks” and “tossing dust” translate “ῥιπτούντων τὰ ἱμάτια” and “κονιορτὸν βαλλόντων,” per the NA28, preserving the KJV’s chaotic imagery.
“They” and “person” translate “αὐτοί” and “ἄνθρωπον” gender-neutrally. “Tribune” renders “χιλίαρχος,” consistent with Acts 21:31–33, per the NA28. “Examined by flogging” translates “ἀνετάζεσθαι μάστιξιν,” echoing the KJV’s “examined by scourging.” “Roman citizen and uncondemned” renders “Ῥωμαῖον καὶ ἀκατάκριτον,” preserving the KJV’s legal appeal, per Acts 16:37.
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