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I persecuted to death this new faith, continually binding both men and women and throwing them into prison;
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as the High Priest also and all the Elders can bear me witness. It was, too, from them that I received letters to the brethren in Damascus, and I was already on my way to Damascus, intending to bring those also who had fled there, in chains to Jerusalem, to be punished.
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"But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus, about noon a sudden blaze of light from Heaven shone round me.
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I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "`Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
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"`Who art thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus, the Nazarene,' He replied, `whom you are persecuting.'
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"Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
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And I asked, "`What am I to do, Lord?' "And the Lord said to me, "`Rise, and go into Damascus. There you shall be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.'
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"And as I could not see because the light had been so dazzling, those who were with me had to lead me by the arm, and so I came to Damascus.
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"And a certain Ananias, a pious man who obeyed the Law and bore a good character with all the Jews of the city,
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came to me and standing at my side said, "`Brother Saul, recover your sight.' "I instantly regained my sight and looked up at him.
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Then he said, `The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the righteous One and hear Him speak.