1“Brothers and fathers, hear my defense that I now make to you.”
2When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more silent. And he said:
3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today.
4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering both men and women to prisons,
5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear witness for me. From them I also received letters to the brothers and was traveling to Damascus to bring those who were there, bound, to Jerusalem to be punished.
6Now it happened that as I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon, a great light from heaven suddenly flashed 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 the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
9Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me.
10And I said, ‘What shall 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.’
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.
12But a certain man, Ananias, a devout man according to the Law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,
13came to me and, standing by me, said to me, ‘Saul, brother, regain your sight.’ And at that very hour I regained my sight and looked at him.
14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15For you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard.
16And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
17Now it happened that when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
18and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating in synagogue after synagogue those who believe in you.
20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving, and guarding the garments of those who were killing him.’
21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices, saying, “Away with such a man from the earth! For he is not fit to live.”
23And as they were crying out and throwing off their garments 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 for what reason they were shouting against him like this.
25But as they stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman man, and one who is uncondemned?”
26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and reported it, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”
27So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”
28The tribune answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” But Paul said, “But I was born one.”
29So those who were about to examine him immediately withdrew from him. And the tribune was also afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.
30But on the next day, wanting to know for certain what he was being accused of by the Jews, he unbound him and ordered the chief priests and all their council to assemble. And he brought Paul down and set him before them.
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