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Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.
2
And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,
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I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:
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and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
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As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
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And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
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And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
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And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me,
I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
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And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.