Acts 22:1–21

22“Brethren ^aand fathers, hear my defense before you now.” ²And when they heard that he spoke to them in the ^bHebrew language, they kept all the more silent.

Then he said: ^3c“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city ^dat the feet of ^eGamaliel, taught ^faccording to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and ^gwas zealous toward God ^has you all are today. ⁴ⁱI persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, ⁵as also the high priest bears me witness, and ^jall the council of the elders, ^kfrom whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus ^lto bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁶“Now ^mit happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. ⁷And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

⁹“And ⁿthose who were with me indeed saw the light ¹and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. ¹⁰So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ ¹¹And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

¹²“Then ^oa certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, ^phaving a good testimony with all the ^qJews who dwelt there, ¹³came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. ¹⁴Then he said, ^r‘The God of our fathers ^shas chosen you that you should ^tknow His will, and ^usee the Just One, ^vand hear the voice of His mouth. ^15wFor you will be His witness to all men of ^xwhat you have seen and heard. ¹⁶And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, ^yand wash away your sins, ^zcalling on the name of the Lord.’

¹⁷“Now ^ait happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance ¹⁸and ^bsaw Him saying to me, ^c‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ ¹⁹So I said, ‘Lord, ^dthey know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and ^ebeat those who believe on You. ^20fAnd when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by ^gconsenting ²to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ ²¹Then He said to me, ‘Depart, ^hfor I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”