Acts:22

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* "Men , brothers and fathers , hear my defense to you now ." * And hearing that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language , they granted [him ]more silence . And he said : * "I am indeed a Jew , having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia , but having been brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel , having been educated according to the exactness of the law of our forefathers , being zealous for God just as you all are today . * I , who persecuted this Way to death , binding and handing over to prisons both men and women , * as also the high priest testifies of me , along with the council of the elders , from whom I also received letters to the brothers , and went to Damascus in order to bring those who were there , having been bound , to Jerusalem , that they might be punished . * Now it happened , as I was going and approaching Damascus , about midday , suddenly from heaven a great light shone about me . * And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me , 'Saul , Saul , why are you persecuting Me ?' * "So I answered , 'Who are You , Lord ?' And He said to me , 'I am Jesus the Nazarene , whom you are persecuting .' * "And those who were with me observed the light and became terrified , but they did not hear the voice of the [One ] speaking to me . * So I said , 'What shall I do , Lord ?' And the Lord said to me , 'Arise and go into Damascus , and it will be told to you about all the [ ]things which it has been appointed for you to do .' * "And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light , being led by the hand by those who were with me , I came into Damascus . * And Ananias , a certain devout man according to the law , being testified of by all the Jews dwelling in Damascus , * came to me and he stood and said to me , 'Brother Saul , see again .' And I , in that very hour , looked up at him . * And he said , 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will , and to see the Righteous One , and hear the voice from His mouth . * For you shall be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard . * And now , what are you going to do ? Arise and be baptized , and wash away your sins , calling on the name of the Lord .' * "And it happened to me , having returned to Jerusalem and praying in the temple , that I came to be in a trance , * and saw Him saying to me , 'Hurry and go out quickly from Jerusalem , for they will not receive your witness about Me .' * "And I said , 'Lord , they know that in every synagogue I was imprisoning and beating those believing on You . * And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed , I myself was standing by consenting to his murder , and guarding the clothes of those murdering him .' * "Then He said to me , 'Go , for I will send you far away to the Gentiles .' " * Now they were listening to him until this statement , and they lifted their voice saying , "Take away such a [man ] from the earth , for it is not fitting [for ] him to live !" * And as they were crying out and throwing off their clothes , and throwing dust in the air , * the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks , and said for him that he should be given a hearing with scourging , so that he might learn why they were crying thus against him . * But as they were stretching him out with the thongs , Paul said to the centurion standing there , "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman , and uncondemned ?" * And the centurion , hearing this , going to the commander he reported , saying , "Watch what you are about to do , for this man is a Roman ." * Then the commander came and said to him , "Tell me , are you a Roman ?"He said , "Yes ." * And the commander answered , "I acquired this citizenship with much money ."And Paul said , "But I was born [a citizen ]." * Then immediately those who were about to interrogate him withdrew from him ; and even the commander was afraid , having learned he was a Roman , and that he had bound him . * Now on the next day , desiring to know the truth [as to ] why he was accused by the Jews , he released him from the bonds , and ordered the chief priests and their whole council to come , and brought Paul down and presented [him ] to them .

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