Acts 22:1‑23:11• 1Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence that I now make unto you
2(and when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet, and he saith),
3I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to strictness of the law of the fathers, being zealous for God even as all ye are this day.
4And I persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering unto prisons both men and women,
5as also the high priest beareth me witness, and all the elderhood, from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and proceeded unto Damascus to bring those that were there, bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished.
6And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that about mid-day there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me;
7and I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou persecutest.
9Now they that were with me beheld the light, but did not hear the voice of him that was speaking to me.
10And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Rise up, and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it hath been appointed for thee to do.
11And as I could not see for the glory of the light, being led by the hand of those that were with me, I came into Damascus;
12and one Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews that dwelt there,
13came unto me and standing by, said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight; and in the very hour I looked upon him.
14And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15For thou shalt be for him to all men a witness of what thou hast seen and heard.
16And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, and get baptized, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name.
17And it came to pass that when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
18and saw him saying unto me, Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me.
19And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those that believe on thee,
20and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those that slew him.
21And he said unto me, Depart, for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.
22And they gave him audience unto this word, and they lifted up their voices and said, Away with such [a fellow] from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live.
23And as they cried out and threw off their garments and cast dust into the air,
24the commander ordered him to be brought into the castle, directing that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they had shouted thus against him.
25And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned?
26And when the centurion heard it, he went to the commander and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman.
27And the commander came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes.
28And the commander answered, With a great sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am also [so] born.
29They then that were about to examine immediately departed from him, and the commander also was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30But on the morrow desiring to know the certainty why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priest and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down, and set [him] before them.
1And Paul fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.
2And the high priest Ananias commanded those that stood by him to smite his mouth.
3Then said Paul unto him, God is about to smite thee, whited wall. And dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?
4And those that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5And Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.
6But when Paul perceived that the one part were of Sadducees, and the other of Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees, concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead I am judged.
7And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
8For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess them both.
9And there arose a great clamour, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' part stood up and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man; and [what] if a spirit spoke to him or an angel?
10And when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring [him] into the castle.
11And the night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, for as thou hast fully testified concerning me at Jerusalem so also must thou testify at Rome. (Acts 22:1‑23:11)