[1] "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you."
[2] When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were
even more quiet. He said, [3] "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of
Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed
according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for
God, even as you all are this day. [4] I persecuted this Way to the death,
binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. [5] As also the
high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I
received letters to the brothers, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them
also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. [6] It happened
that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon,
suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me. [7] I fell to
the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, `Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?` [8] I answered, `Who are you, Lord?` He said to me, `I am
Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.` [9] Those who were with me indeed
saw the light and were afraid, but they didn`t understand the voice of him
who spoke to me. [10] I said, `What will I do, Lord?` The Lord said to me,
`Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which
are appointed for you to do.` [11] When I couldn`t see for the glory of
that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into
Damascus. [12] One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well
reported of by all the Jews who lived there, [13] came to me, and standing
by me said to me, `Brother Saul, receive your sight!` In that very hour I
looked up at him. [14] 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] For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you
have seen and heard. [16] Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash
away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.` [17] It happened that,
when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell
into a trance, [18] and saw him saying to me, `Hurry and get out of
Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me
from you.` [19] I said, `Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and
beat in every synagogue those who believed in you. [20] When the blood of
Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to
his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.` [21] He said
to me, `Depart, for I will send you forth far from here to the Gentiles.`"
[22] They listened to him until he said that, then they lifted up their
voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn`t fit to live!"
[23] As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the
air, [24] the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the
barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for
what crime they shouted against him like that. [25] When they had tied him
up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for
you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?" [26] When the
centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, "Watch
what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!" [27] The commanding
officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?"     He said, "Yes."
[28] The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great
price."     Paul said, "But I was born a Roman." [29] Immediately those who
were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer
also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound
him. [30] But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was
accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief
priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set
him before them.