Chapter 22

1“Brothers and fathers, listen now as I defend myself before you.”

2When the people heard Paul speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter. Then he said:

3“I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus in Cilicia but raised here in Jerusalem. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law handed down by our ancestors. I was devoted to God, just as all of you are today.

4“I persecuted the movement known as the Way, even seeking the death of its followers. I arrested both men and women and handed them over to be imprisoned.

5“The high priest and the whole council of elders can confirm this. They gave me letters for our fellow Jews in Damascus, and I went there to arrest the followers of the Way and bring them in chains to Jerusalem for punishment.

6“As I traveled and came near Damascus, around noon, a powerful light from heaven suddenly flashed all around me.

7“I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8“I answered, ‘Who are you, sir?’ The voice replied, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’

9“The people traveling with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me.

10“I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told everything you have been appointed to do.’

11“The brightness of that light had left me unable to see, so my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.

12“A man named Ananias came to me. He faithfully obeyed the law and was respected by all the Jewish people living there.

13“He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, see again!’ At that very moment I regained my sight and looked at him.

14“Ananias said, ‘The God of our ancestors chose you in advance to know his will, to see the one who is right before God, and to hear his own voice.

15“You will speak for him to all people, telling them what you have seen and heard.

16“So why wait any longer? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.’

17“After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the temple when I fell into a trance.

18“I saw Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept what you say about me.’

19“I replied, ‘Lord, they know that I went from synagogue to synagogue, imprisoning and beating those who trusted in you.

20“When the blood of Stephen, who spoke for you, was being poured out, I stood there approving. I even guarded the coats of those who killed him.’

21“But Jesus told me, ‘Go. I will send you far away to non-Jewish peoples.’”

22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they began shouting, “Get rid of such a man! He does not deserve to live!”

23They kept yelling, flinging off their coats, and throwing dust into the air.

24The Roman commander ordered his soldiers to take Paul into the barracks. He told them to interrogate Paul by whipping him, so he could learn why the crowd was shouting against him like this.

25But as the soldiers stretched Paul out and tied him with straps, he asked the Roman army officer standing there, “Does the law allow you to whip a Roman citizen who has not been found guilty?”

26When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and reported, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen.”

27The commander came to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul answered, “Yes.”

28The commander replied, “I paid a great deal of money for this citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

29The men who were about to interrogate Paul immediately stepped away from him. The commander himself became afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains.

30The next day, the commander wanted to learn exactly why the Jewish leaders were accusing Paul. He released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire Jewish ruling council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.