17
"After that, I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the temple courtyard, I fell into a trance
18
and saw the Lord. He told me, 'Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem immediately. The people here won't accept your testimony about me.'
19
"I said, 'Lord, people here know that I went from synagogue to synagogue to imprison and whip those who believe in you.
20
When Stephen, who witnessed about you, was being killed, I was standing there. I approved of his death and guarded the coats of those who were murdering him.'
21
"But the Lord told me, 'Go! I'll send you on a mission. You'll go far away to people who aren't Jewish.'"
22
Up to that point the mob listened. Then they began to shout, "Kill him! The world doesn't need a man like this. He shouldn't have been allowed to live this long!"
23
The mob was yelling, taking off their coats, and throwing dirt into the air.
24
So the officer ordered the soldiers to take Paul into the barracks and told them to question Paul as they whipped him. The officer wanted to find out why the people were yelling at Paul like this.
25
But when the soldiers had Paul stretch out [to tie him to the whipping post] with the straps, Paul asked the sergeant who was standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?"
26
When the sergeant heard this, he reported it to his commanding officer. The sergeant asked him, "What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen."
27
The officer went to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" Paul answered, "Yes."