1
"Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you."
2
(And when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they were the more silent.) And he said,
3
"I am verily a man who am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taughtaccording to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4
And I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
5
as also the high priest doth bear me witness and all the council of the elders. From them I also received letters unto the brethren, and I went to Damascus to bring those who were there bound unto Jerusalem to be punished.
6
"And it came to pass that, as I made my journey and had come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7
And I fell unto the ground and heard a voice saying unto me, `Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?'
8
And I answered, `Who art Thou, Lord?' And He said unto me, `I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.'
9
And those who were with me saw indeed the light and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of Him that spoke to me.
10
And I said, `What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said unto me, `Arise and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all the things which are appointed for thee to do.'
11
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12
"And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, of good report among all the Jews who dwelt there,
13
came unto me and stood and said unto me, `Brother Saul, receive thy sight!' And that same hour I looked up upon him.
14
And he said, `The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know His will and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of His mouth.
15
For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16
And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'
17
"And it came to pass that when I had come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance
18
and saw Him saying unto me, `Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me.'
19
And I said, `Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in Thee.
20
And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the raiment of those who slew him.'
21
And He said unto me, `Depart, for I will send thee far hence, unto the Gentiles.'"