Acts 22:6-30 ▼

6 But it happened to me, journeying and drawing near to Damascus about noon, that suddenly a great light out of heaven shone around me,

7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

8 And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

9 And those being with me indeed saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One speaking to me.

10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Having risen up, go to Damascus, and there it will be told to you concerning all things that it has been appointed to you to do.’

11 And while I could not see from the brightness of that light, I came to Damascus, being led by the hand by those being with me.

12 And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling there,

13 having come to me and having stood near, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, look up.’ And the same hour I looked up at 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 out of His mouth.

15 For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now, why do you delay? Having arisen, be baptized and wash away your sins, having called on His name.’

17 And it happened to me, having returned to Jerusalem and in my praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance

18 and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and go forth with speed out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’

19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in each of those synagogues I was imprisoning and beating those believing on You.

20 And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was poured out, I myself was also standing by and consenting and watching over the garments of those killing him.’

21 And He said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22 Now they were listening to him until this word. And they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away with such from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!”

23 And in their crying out and casting off the garments and throwing dust into the air,

24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, having directed him to be examined by flogging, so that he might know for what cause they were crying out against him like this.

25 But as they stretched him forward with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it lawful to you? to flog a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”

26 And the centurion, having heard, having gone to the commander, reported it, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”

27 And having come near, the commander said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he was saying, “Yes.”

28 And the commander answered, “I bought this citizenship with a great sum.” But Paul was saying, “But I have even been born so.”

29 So immediately those being about to examine him departed from him, and the commander also was afraid, having ascertained that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him.

30 And on the next day, desiring to know for certain why he is accused by the Jews, he unbound him and he commanded the chief priests and all the Council to assemble. And having brought down Paul, he set him among them.