22 “Men—brothers and fathers—listen to my defense to you now!” 2 And when they* heard that he was addressing them in the Aramaic language, ⌊they became even more silent⌋.a And he said, 3 “I am a Jewish man born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the law received from our fathers, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. 4 ⌊I⌋b persecuted this Way to the death, tying up and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as indeed the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me, from whom also I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and* was traveling there* to lead away those who were there also tied up to Jerusalem so that they could be punished.

Paul Tells of His Conversion on the Damascus Road

6 “And it happened that as* I was traveling and approaching Damascus around noon, suddenly a very bright light from heaven flashed around me, 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you are persecuting.’ 9 (Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.) 10 So I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and* proceed to Damascus, and there it will be told to you about all the things that have been appointed for you to do.’ 11 And as I could not see as a result of the brightness of that light, I arrived in Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me. 12 And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who live there, 13 came to me and stood by me* and* said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ And at that same time I looked up at him and saw him.* 14 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, 15 because you will be a witness for himc to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why are you delaying? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name!’

17 “And it happened that when* I returned to Jerusalem and I was praying in the temple courts,* I was in a trance, 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and depart ⌊quickly⌋d from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that from synagogue to synagogue I was imprisoning and beating those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself also was standing near and was approving, and was guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’ ”

Paul Questioned by the Military Tribune

22 Now they were listening to him until this word, and they raised their voices, saying, “Away with such a man from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!” 23 And while* they were screaming and throwing off their* cloaks and throwing dust into the air, 24 the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks,e saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the lash,f Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it permitted for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 And when* the centurion heard this,* he went to the military tribune and* reported it,* saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen!” 27 So the military tribune came and* said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 And the military tribune replied, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I indeed was born a citizen.* 29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him kept away from him, and the military tribune also was afraid when he* realized that he was a Roman citizen and that ⌊he had tied him up⌋.g 30 But on the next day, because he* wanted to know the true reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble, and he brought down Paul and* had him* stand before them.