“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before
you.”
And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew
language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this
city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict
manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of
you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and
delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the
whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received
letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take
those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to
be punished.
“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great
light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the
ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said
to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now
those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the
voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I
do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus,
and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’
And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light,
I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into
Damascus.
“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken
of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me
said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very
hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of our
fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One
and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for
him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you
wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his
name.’
“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple,
I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get
out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your
testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that
in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who
believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was
being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching
over the garments of those who killed him.’ And he said to me, ‘Go,
for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their
voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he
should not be allowed to live.” And as they were shouting and
throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the
tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he
should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting
against him like this. But when they had stretched him out for the
whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it
lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and
uncondemned?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune
and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman
citizen.” So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a
Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” The tribune answered, “I bought
this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen
by birth.” So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him
immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that
Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was
being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief
priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and
set him before them.
