12
"I was carrying out these activities when I went to the city of Damascus. I had the power and authority of the chief priests.
13
Your Majesty, at noon, while I was traveling, I saw a light that was brighter than the sun. The light came from the sky and shined around me and those who were with me.
14
All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It's hard for [a mortal like] you to resist God.'
15
"I asked, 'Who are you, sir?' "The Lord answered, 'I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting.
16
Stand up! I have appeared to you for a reason. I'm appointing you to be a servant and witness of what you have seen and of what I will show you.
17
I will rescue you from the Jewish people and from the non-Jewish people to whom I am sending you.
18
You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God's. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God's people who are made holy by believing in me.'
19
"At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa.
20
Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the [Jewish] people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives.
21
For this reason the Jews took me prisoner in the temple courtyard and tried to murder me.
22
"God has been helping me to this day so that I can stand and testify to important and unimportant people. I tell them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen.