¹`Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence now unto you;` —

¹ܐܚܐ ܘܐܒܗܬܐ ܫܡܥܘ ܡܦܩ ܒܪܘܚ ܕܠܘܬܟܘܢ ܀

²and they having heard that in the Hebrew dialect he was speaking to them, gave the more silence, and he saith, —

²ܘܟܕ ܫܡܥܘ ܕܥܒܪܐܝܬ ܡܡܠܠ ܗܘܐ ܥܡܗܘܢ ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܒܗܠܘ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܀

³`I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactitude of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all ye are to-day.

³ܐܢܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܐܢܐ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܘܝܠܝܕ ܐܢܐ ܒܛܪܤܘܤ ܕܩܝܠܝܩܝܐ ܐܬܪܒܝܬ ܕܝܢ ܒܗܕܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܥܠ ܓܢܒ ܪܓܠܘܗܝ ܕܓܡܠܝܐܝܠ ܘܐܬܪܕܝܬ ܓܡܝܪܐܝܬ ܒܢܡܘܤܐ ܕܐܒܗܬܢ ܘܐܝܬܝ ܗܘܝܬ ܛܢܢܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܐܝܟ ܡܐ ܕܐܦ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܐܝܬܝܟܘܢ ܀

⁴`And this way I persecuted unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

⁴ܘܠܗܕܐ ܐܘܪܚܐ ܪܕܦܬ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܡܘܬܐ ܟܕ ܐܤܪ ܗܘܝܬ ܘܡܫܠܡ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܒܝܬ ܐܤܝܪܐ ܓܒܪܐ ܘܢܫܐ ܀

⁵as also the chief priest doth testify to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

⁵ܐܝܟ ܡܐ ܕܤܗܕ ܥܠܝ ܪܒ ܟܗܢܐ ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܩܫܝܫܐ ܕܡܢܗܘܢ ܩܒܠܬ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܐܙܠ ܠܘܬ ܐܚܐ ܕܒܕܪܡܤܘܩ ܕܐܦ ܠܗܢܘܢ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܘ ܬܡܢ ܐܝܬܐ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܟܕ ܐܤܝܪܝܢ ܘܢܩܒܠܘܢ ܡܤܡ ܒܪܫܐ ܀

⁶and it came to pass, in my going on and coming nigh to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of the heaven there shone a great light round about me,

⁶ܘܟܕ ܐܙܠ ܗܘܝܬ ܘܫܪܝܬ ܡܡܛܐ ܐܢܐ ܠܕܪܡܤܘܩ ܒܦܠܓܗ ܕܝܘܡܐ ܡܢ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܠܝܐ ܡܢ ܫܡܝܐ ܐܙܠܓ ܥܠܝ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܤܓܝܐܐ ܀

⁷I fell also to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?

⁷ܘܢܦܠܬ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܘܫܡܥܬ ܩܠܐ ܕܐܡܪ ܗܘܐ ܠܝ ܫܐܘܠ ܫܐܘܠ ܡܢܐ ܪܕܦ ܐܢܬ ܠܝ ܀

⁸`And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? and he said unto me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom thou dost persecute —

⁸ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܥܢܝܬ ܘܐܡܪܬ ܡܢ ܐܢܬ ܡܪܝ ܘܗܘ ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܐܢܐ ܗܘ ܝܫܘܥ ܢܨܪܝܐ ܕܐܢܬ ܪܕܦ ܐܢܬ ܀

⁹and they who are with me the light did see, and became afraid, and the voice they heard not of him who is speaking to me —

⁹ܘܐܢܫܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܘ ܥܡܝ ܚܙܘ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܩܠܐ ܕܝܢ ܠܐ ܫܡܥܘ ܕܗܘ ܕܡܡܠܠ ܗܘܐ ܥܡܝ ܀

¹⁰and I said, What shall I do, Lord? and the Lord said unto me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee concerning all things that have been appointed for thee to do.

¹⁰ܘܐܡܪܬ ܡܢܐ ܐܥܒܕ ܡܪܝ ܘܡܪܢ ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܩܘܡ ܙܠ ܠܕܪܡܤܘܩ ܘܬܡܢ ܢܬܡܠܠ ܥܡܟ ܥܠ ܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܕܡܬܦܩܕ ܠܟ ܕܬܥܒܕ ܀

¹¹`And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to Damascus,

¹¹ܘܟܕ ܠܐ ܡܬܚܙܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܝ ܡܛܠ ܬܫܒܘܚܬܗ ܕܢܘܗܪܐ ܗܘ ܐܚܕܘܢܝ ܒܐܝܕܝ ܗܢܘܢ ܕܥܡܝ ܗܘܘ ܘܥܠܬ ܠܕܪܡܤܘܩ ܀

¹²and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

¹²ܘܓܒܪܐ ܚܕ ܚܢܢܝܐ ܟܐܢܐ ܒܢܡܘܤܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܤܗܕܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܕܬܡܢ ܀

¹³having come unto me and stood by [me], said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and I the same hour did look up to him;

¹³ܐܬܐ ܠܘܬܝ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܫܐܘܠ ܐܚܝ ܦܬܚ ܥܝܢܝܟ ܘܒܗ ܒܫܥܬܐ ܐܬܦܬܚ ܥܝܢܝ ܘܚܪܬ ܒܗ ܀

¹⁴and he said, The God of our fathers did choose thee beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of his mouth,

¹⁴ܘܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܐܒܗܬܢ ܐܩܝܡܟ ܠܡܕܥ ܨܒܝܢܗ ܘܬܚܙܐ ܠܙܕܝܩܐ ܘܬܫܡܥ ܩܠܐ ܡܢ ܦܘܡܗ ܀

¹⁵because thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard;

¹⁵ܘܬܗܘܐ ܠܗ ܤܗܕܐ ܠܘܬ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܢܝܢܫܐ ܥܠ ܟܘܠ ܡܐ ܕܚܙܝܬ ܘܫܡܥܬ ܀

¹⁶and now, why tarriest thou? having risen, baptize thyself, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.

¹⁶ܘܗܫܐ ܡܢܐ ܡܫܬܘܚܪ ܐܢܬ ܩܘܡ ܥܡܕ ܘܐܬܕܟܐ ܡܢ ܚܛܗܝܟ ܟܕ ܩܪܐ ܐܢܬ ܫܡܗ ܀

¹⁷`And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

¹⁷ܘܗܦܟܬ ܐܬܝܬ ܠܟܐ ܠܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܨܠܝܬ ܒܗܝܟܠܐ ܀

¹⁸and I saw him saying to me, Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me;

¹⁸ܘܚܙܝܬܗ ܒܚܙܘܐ ܟܕ ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܐܤܬܪܗܒ ܘܦܘܩ ܠܟ ܡܢ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܡܛܠ ܕܠܐ ܡܩܒܠܝܢ ܤܗܕܘܬܟ ܕܥܠܝ ܀

¹⁹and I said, Lord, they — they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging in every synagogue those believing on thee;

¹⁹ܘܐܢܐ ܐܡܪܬ ܡܪܝ ܐܦ ܗܢܘܢ ܝܕܥܝܢ ܕܐܢܐ ܡܫܠܡ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܒܝܬ ܐܤܝܪܐ ܘܡܚܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܒܟܠ ܟܢܘܫܢ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܡܗܝܡܢܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܒܟ ܀

²⁰and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was being poured forth, I also was standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

²⁰ܘܟܕ ܡܬܐܫܕ ܗܘܐ ܕܡܗ ܕܐܤܛܦܢܤ ܤܗܕܟ ܘܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܥܡܗܘܢ ܩܐܡ ܗܘܝܬ ܘܫܠܡ ܗܘܝܬ ܠܨܒܝܢܗܘܢ ܕܩܛܘܠܘܗܝ ܘܢܛܪ ܗܘܝܬ ܡܐܢܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܪܓܡܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗ ܀

²¹and he said unto me, Go, because to nations far off I will send thee.`

²¹ܘܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܙܠ ܕܐܢܐ ܡܫܕܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟ ܠܪܘܚܩܐ ܠܡܟܪܙܘ ܠܥܡܡܐ ܀

²²And they were hearing him unto this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, `Away from the earth with such an one; for it is not fit for him to live.`

²²ܘܟܕ ܫܡܥܘܗܝ ܠܦܘܠܘܤ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗܕܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܐܪܝܡܘ ܩܠܗܘܢ ܘܩܥܘ ܢܫܬܩܠ ܡܢ ܐܪܥܐ ܐܝܢܐ ܕܗܟܢܐ ܗܘ ܠܐ ܓܝܪ ܘܠܐ ܠܗ ܠܡܚܐ ܀

²³And they crying out and casting up their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

²³ܘܟܕ ܡܒܓܢܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܘܡܫܕܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܐܢܝܗܘܢ ܘܡܤܩܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܚܠܐ ܠܫܡܝܐ ܀

²⁴the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, saying, `By scourges let him be examined;` that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

²⁴ܦܩܕ ܟܠܝܪܟܐ ܕܢܥܠܘܢܗ ܠܡܫܪܝܬܐ ܘܦܩܕ ܕܒܢܓܕܐ ܢܫܬܐܠ ܐܝܟ ܕܢܕܥ ܡܛܠ ܐܝܕܐ ܥܠܬܐ ܩܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܀

²⁵And as he was stretching him with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion who was standing by, `A man, a Roman, uncondemned — is it lawful to you to scourge;`

²⁵ܘܟܕ ܡܬܚܘܗܝ ܒܥܪܩܐ ܐܡܪ ܗܘ ܦܘܠܘܤ ܠܩܢܛܪܘܢܐ ܕܩܐܡ ܗܘܐ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܡܦܤ ܠܟܘܢ ܕܠܓܒܪܐ ܪܗܘܡܝܐ ܕܠܐ ܡܚܝܒ ܕܬܢܓܕܘܢ ܀

²⁶and the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, `Take heed what thou art about to do, for this man is a Roman;`

²⁶ܘܟܕ ܫܡܥ ܩܢܛܪܘܢܐ ܩܪܒ ܠܘܬ ܟܠܝܪܟܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܡܢܐ ܥܒܕ ܐܢܬ ܗܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܓܒܪܐ ܪܗܘܡܝܐ ܗܘ ܀

²⁷and the chief captain having come near, said to him, `Tell me, art thou a Roman?` and he said, `Yes;`

²⁷ܘܩܪܒ ܠܘܬܗ ܟܠܝܪܟܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܐܢܬ ܪܗܘܡܝܐ ܐܢܬ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܐܝܢ ܀

²⁸and the chief captain answered, `I, with a great sum, did obtain this citizenship;` but Paul said, `But I have been even born [so].`

²⁸ܘܥܢܐ ܟܠܝܪܟܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܒܟܤܦܐ ܤܓܝܐܐ ܩܢܝܬܗ ܠܪܗܘܡܝܘܬܐ ܐܡܪ ܠܗ ܦܘܠܘܤ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܦ ܒܗ ܐܬܝܠܕܬ ܀

²⁹Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who are about to examine him, and the chief captain also was afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

²⁹ܘܡܚܕܐ ܦܪܩܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܢܗ ܗܢܘܢ ܕܒܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܡܢܓܕܘܬܗ ܘܕܚܠ ܟܠܝܪܟܐ ܟܕ ܝܠܦ ܕܪܗܘܡܝܐ ܗܘ ܥܠ ܕܦܟܪܗ ܗܘܐ ܀

³⁰and on the morrow, intending to know the certainty wherefore he is accused by the Jews, he did loose him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their sanhedrim to come, and having brought down Paul, he set [him] before them.

³⁰ܘܠܝܘܡܐ ܐܚܪܢܐ ܨܒܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܡܕܥ ܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܕܡܢܐ ܗܝ ܩܛܓܪܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܝܬܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܝܗܘܕܝܐ ܘܫܪܝܗܝ ܘܦܩܕ ܕܢܐܬܘܢ ܪܒܝ ܟܗܢܐ ܘܟܠܗ ܟܢܫܐ ܕܪܫܝܗܘܢ ܘܕܒܪ ܠܦܘܠܘܤ ܘܐܚܬ ܐܩܝܡܗ ܒܝܢܬܗܘܢ ܀