Acts 22

“Men, brothers, and fathers, listen to my defense that I now make to you.”

And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet, and he said,

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are this day.

I persecuted the followers of the Way to the death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons,

as also the high priest and all the council of the elders can testify. I also received letters from them to our Jewish brothers, and traveled to Damascus to even bring those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

“And it came to pass while traveling and drawing close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a bright light from heaven shined around me.

And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’

And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

And I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that has been appointed for you to do.’

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

“And one Ananias, a deeply religious man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived there

came to me and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up at him.

And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

For you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard.

And now what are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on his name.’

“And it came to pass that when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the Temple, I fell into a state of suspended consciousness,

and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’

And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you,

and when the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by and fully approving, and keeping the outer garments of those who killed him.’

And he said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

And they were listening to him up to this statement, and then they lifted up their voice and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not have even been allowed to live this long!”

And as they were crying out and throwing off their outer garments and throwing dust into the air,

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, in order to know the reason why they were shouting against him that way.

And when they stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?”

And when the centurion heard it, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”

And the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”

And the commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a great sum of money.” But Paul said, “But I am Roman born.”

Then they who were about to examine him immediately departed from him, and the commander also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

But on the next day, desiring to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he set him free and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together. And he brought Paul down and set him before them.