5
The high priest and the whole council of older Jewish leaders can tell you this is true. They gave me letters to the Jewish brothers in Damascus. So I was going there to arrest these people and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.
6
"About noon when I came near Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed all around me.
7
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
8
I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The voice said, 'I am Jesus from Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'
9
Those who were with me did not hear the voice, but they saw the light.
10
I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord answered, 'Get up and go to Damascus. There you will be told about all the things I have planned for you to do.'
11
I could not see, because the bright light had made me blind. So my companions led me into Damascus.
12
"There a man named Ananias came to me. He was a religious man; he obeyed the law of Moses, and all the Jews who lived there respected him.
13
He stood by me and said, 'Brother Saul, see again!' Immediately I was able to see him.
14
He said, 'The God of our ancestors chose you long ago to know his plan, to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from him.
15
You will be his witness to all people, telling them about what you have seen and heard.