Acts 22:3–16

“I am a Jew,^j born in Tarsus^k of Cilicia,^l but brought up in this city. I studied under^m Gamalielⁿ and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.^o I was just as zealous^p for God as any of you are today. I persecuted^q the followers of this Way^r to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,^s as the high priest and all the Council^t can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates^u in Damascus,^v and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.^w I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

“ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,^x whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light,^y but they did not understand the voice^z of him who was speaking to me.

“ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’^a My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.^b

“A man named Ananias came to see me.^c He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.^d He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors^e has chosen you to know his will and to see^f the Righteous One^g and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness^h to all people of what you have seenⁱ and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized^j and wash your sins away,^k calling on his name.’^l