Acts Chapter 22
1 Men, family⁺, and fathers: Now hear my defense to you.
2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept all the more silent. Then he said:
3 I am truly⁺ a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia. I was brought in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict⁺ letter of the law of the fathers, and zealous toward God as you all are this day.
4 Therefore, I persecuted this faith known as The Way even to the death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons.
5 The high priest and all of the council⁺ of elders testify⁺ to this fact. And from them, I received letters to the family⁺ and I went to Damascus to bring those who were bound there to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 It came to pass that, as I made my journey and came near Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light around⁺ me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
8 I answered: Who are you Lord? He said to me: I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you persecute.
9 Those who were with me also saw the light and were afraid but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
10 I said: What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all the things that are appointed for you to do.
11 When I could not see because of the brightness⁺ of that light, I was led by the hand of those who were with me and I came to Damascus.
12 After I arrived there, a man named Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law, and who had a good report from all the Jews who lived⁺ there,
13 came to me and stood by me and said to me: Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked up and saw him.
14 He said: The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know His will and see that Just One and hear the voice of His mouth.
15 For you shall be His witness to everyone⁺ of what you have seen and heard.
16 Therefore why do you delay⁺ now? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17 Now it came to pass, that when I had come again to Jerusalem, as I prayed in the temple, I went into a trance.
18 And I saw Him and heard Him say to me: Hurry and quickly get out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.
19 I said: Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat some in every synagogue who believe in you.
20 When the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting to his death and held⁺ the coats⁺ of those who killed⁺ him.
21 He said to me: Leave⁺ now, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.
22 They listened⁺ to Paul's words and then raised⁺ their voices and said: Away with such a fellow from the Earth, for it is not proper⁺ that he should live.
23 As they cried out, they tore⁺ off their clothes and threw dust into the air.
24 Then the chief captain commanded that Paul be brought into the castle and ordered⁺ that he should be examined by scourging so that he might know why⁺ they cried out so against him.
25 As they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by: Is it lawful for you to flog⁺ a man who is a Roman and has not been convicted⁺ of anything?
26 When the centurion heard that, he went away and told the chief captain saying: Take heed what you do, for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came and said to Paul: Tell me: Are you a Roman? He said: Yes.
28 The chief captain answered: I obtained this freedom at a great cost⁺. And Paul said: But I was born free.
29 Then immediately⁺ he who had been about to examine Paul left⁺. The chief captain was also afraid after he knew that Paul was a Roman, because he was the one who had bound him.
30 On the next day, because he wanted to know for certain why Paul had been accused by the Jews, he released⁺ him from his chains⁺ and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and then he brought Paul down and stood⁺ him before them.