Part 29

021:039 "I am a Jew," replied Paul, "belonging to Tarsus in Cilicia, and am a citizen of no unimportant city. Give me leave, I pray you, to speak to the people."

021:040 So with his permission Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people to be quiet; and when there was perfect silence he addressed them in Hebrew.

022:001 "Brethren and fathers," he said, "listen to my defence which I now make before you."

022:002 And on hearing him address them in Hebrew, they kept all the more quiet; and he said,

022:003 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers, and, like all of you to-day, was zealous for God.

022:004 I persecuted to death this new faith, continually binding both men and women and throwing them into prison;

022:005 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.

022:006 "But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus, about noon a sudden blaze of light from Heaven shone round me.

022:007 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "`Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'

022:008 "`Who art thou, Lord?' I asked. "`I am Jesus, the Nazarene,' He replied, `whom you are persecuting.'

022:009 "Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.

022:010 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.'

022:011 "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.

022:012 "And a certain Ananias, a pious man who obeyed the Law and bore a good character with all the Jews of the city,

022:013 came to me and standing at my side said, "`Brother Saul, recover your sight.' "I instantly regained my sight and looked up at him.

022:014 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.

022:015 For you shall be a witness for Him, to all men, of what you have seen and heard.

022:016 And now why delay? Rise, get yourself baptized, and wash off your sins, calling upon His name.'

022:017 "After my return to Jerusalem, and while praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.

022:018 I saw Jesus, and He said to me, "`Make haste and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'

022:019 "`Lord,' I replied, `they themselves well know how active I was in imprisoning, and in flogging in synagogue after synagogue those who believe in Thee;

022:020 and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness, I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes of those who were killing him.'

022:021 "`Go,' He replied; `I will send you as an Apostle to nations far away.'"

022:022 Until they heard this last statement the people listened to Paul, but now with a roar of disapproval they cried out, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He ought not to be allowed to live."

022:023 And when they continued their furious shouts, throwing their clothes into the air and flinging dust about,

022:024 the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and be examined by flogging, in order to ascertain the reason why they thus cried out against him.

022:025 But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog a Roman citizen--and one too who is uncondemned?"

022:026 On hearing this question, the Captain went to report the matter to the Tribune. "What are you intending to do?" he said. "This man is a Roman citizen."