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to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
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Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
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"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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And I did so in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
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And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme; and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
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"Thus I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
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At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me.
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And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.'
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And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
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But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,
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delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles--to whom I send you