Acts 22

1 “Men, brothers and fathers, hear the defense I now make to you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became all the more quiet. And he says: [a] 3 “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the strictness of the ancestral law, being zealous for God just as all of you are today; 4 and I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and handing over to prisons both men and women, [b] 5 as the chief priest also bears me witness, and the whole council of elders. From them I received letters to the brothers as well, and I was going to Damascus to bring those who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, so that they might be punished.

6 “And it happened to me, as I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus, about midday, that suddenly a great light out of 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 Nazorean, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 And those who were with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me. [c] 10 And I said, ‘What am I to 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.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the glory of that light, I came into Damascus led by the hand by those who were with me.

12 “And a certain Ananias, a reverent man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews living there, 13 came to me, and standing beside me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see again.’ And in that same hour I looked up at him. [d] 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you beforehand 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 him to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now, why are you delaying? Get up, be immersed and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’ [e]

17 “And it happened to me, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating, in one synagogue after another, those who trust in you; 20 and when the blood of Stephen your witness was being poured out, I myself was standing by and approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.’ [f] † 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the nations.’”

22 And they listened to him up to this word, and they raised their voice, saying, “Away with such a man from the earth! For he ought not to live!” 23 And as they were shouting and flinging off their cloaks and throwing dust into the air, 24 the commander of a thousand ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he was to be examined under the scourge, so that he might learn for what reason they were shouting against him like this. [g]

25 And as they stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the commander of a hundred standing there, “Is it permitted for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” [h] 26 And when the commander of a hundred heard this, he went to the commander of a thousand and reported it, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” 27 And the commander of a thousand came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 And the commander of a thousand answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum.” And Paul said, “But I was even born one.” [i] 29 So immediately those who were about to examine him stood back from him; and the commander of a thousand was afraid as well, when he learned that he was a Roman and that he had bound him.

30 And on the next day, wanting to know for certain what he was being accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to come together; and bringing Paul down, he set him among them.