'“Brothers2and3fathers,4hear5the7defense11thatI6now10makebefore8you.”9 And2when they heard1that3he was addressing7them8in the4Hebrew5language,6they became10even more9quiet.11And12he said:13 “I1am2a Jew,4born5in6Tarsus7in Cilicia,9but11brought up10in12this15city,14educated20at16the17feet18of Gamaliel19according to21the strict manner22of the23law25of [our] fathers,24being27zealous26for God29as30all31ofyou32are33this day.34 I persecuted5this2Way4to6the death,7binding8and9delivering10to11prison12both14men13and15women,16 as1the3high priest4and7the9whole8council of elders10can bear5me6witness.5From11them12I received15letters14to16the17brothers,18and23I journeyed21toward19Damascus20to take22those24also23who were26there25andbring them in bonds27to28Jerusalem29to be punished.3031 As4I3was on [my] way4and5drew near6to Damascus,8about9noon10a great17light16from12heaven14suddenly11shone15around18me.19 And2I fell1to3the4ground5and6heard7a voice8saying9to me,10‘Saul,11Saul,12why13are you persecuting15me?’14 And2I1answered,3‘Who4are you,5Lord?’6And8he said7to9me,10‘I11am12Jesus13of Nazareth,15whom16you17are persecuting.’18 Now2those1who were5with3me4saw9the6light8but11did14not13[understand]14the10voice12of the one15who was speaking16to me.17 And2I said,1‘What3shall I do,4Lord?’5And7the6Lord8said9to10me,11‘Rise,12andgo13into14Damascus,15and there16you17will be told18all20that21is appointed22for you23to do.’24 And2since1I could4not3see4because of5the6[brightness]7of that10light,9I was led by the hand11by12those13who were with14me,15andcame16into17Damascus.18 And2one3Ananias,1a devout5man4according6to the7law,8well spoken of9by10all11the12Jews14who lived there,13 came1to2me,3and4standing by5mesaid6to me,7‘Brother9Saul,8receive your sight.’10And11at that very12hour14I received my sight15and[saw]16him.17 And2he1said,3‘The4God5of7our8fathers7appointed9you10to know11his14will,13to see16the17Righteous One18and19to hear20a voice21from22his25mouth;24 for1you will be2a witness3for him4to5everyone67of what8you have seen9and10heard.11 And1now2why3doyou wait?4Rise5andbe baptized6and7wash away8your11sins,10calling on12his15name.’14 When4I3had returned4to5Jerusalem6and7was praying8in10the11temple,12I14fell13into15a trance16 and1saw2him3saying4to me,5‘Make haste6and7get8out of11Jerusalem12quickly,910because13they will15not14accept15your16testimony17about18me.’19 And I1said,2‘Lord,3they themselves4know5that6in one synagogue after another1214I7imprisoned9and10beat11those15who believed16in17you.18 And1when2the4blood5of Stephen6your9witness8was being shed,3I12myself11was12standing by13and14approving15and16watching over17the18garments19of those20who killed21him.’22 And1he said2to3me,4‘Go,5for6I7will send11you12far away10to8the Gentiles.’”9 Up to4this5word7they listened1to him.3Then8they raised9their12voices11andsaid,13“Away with14such a fellow19from15the16earth!17For21he23should22not20be allowed22to live.”24 And2as1they3were shouting1and4throwing off5theircloaks7and8flinging10dust9into11the12air,13 the2tribune3ordered1him5to be brought4into6the7barracks,8saying9thathe12should be examined11by flogging,10to find out1314why151617they were shouting19against him20like this.18 But2when1they had stretched3him4out3for the5whips,6Paul13said7to8the9centurion11who was standing by,10“Is it lawful1419for you20to flog21a man15who isa Roman16citizenand17uncondemned?”18 When1the3centurion4heard1this,he went5to the6tribune7andsaid9to him,“What10are you about11to do?12For14this16man15is18a Roman citizen.”17 So2the3tribune4came1andsaid5to him,6“Tell7me,8are11you9a Roman citizen?”10And13he12said,14“Yes.”15 The3tribune4answered,1“I5bought11this10citizenship9for a large6sum.”7Paul14said,15“But2I16am a citizen by birth.”19 So2those6who were about7to examine9him5withdrew3from4him8immediately,1and13the11tribune12also10was afraid,14forhe realized15that16[Paul] was18a Roman citizen17and19that20he had22bound23him.21 But2on the1next day,3desiring4to know5the6real reason7why9he was being accused10by11the12Jews,13he unbound14him15and16commanded17the19chief priests20and21all22the23council24to meet,18and25hebrought26Paul28down26andset29himbefore30them.31