8
"I answered, 'Who are you, sir?' "The person told me, 'I'm Jesus from Nazareth, the one you're persecuting.'
9
"The men who were with me saw the light but didn't understand what the person who was speaking to me said.
10
"Then I asked, 'What do you want me to do, Lord?' "The Lord told me, 'Get up! Go into the city of Damascus, and you'll be told everything I've arranged for you to do.'
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"I was blind because the light had been so bright. So the men who were with me led me into the city of Damascus.
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"A man named Ananias lived in Damascus. He was a devout person who followed Moses' Teachings. All the Jews living in Damascus spoke highly of him.
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He came to me, stood beside me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' At that moment my sight came back and I could see Ananias.
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"Ananias said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the one who has God's approval, and to hear him speak to you.
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You will be his witness and will tell everyone what you have seen and heard.
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What are you waiting for now? Get up! Be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.'
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"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.'