1Brothers and fathers, hear the defense which I now make to you. 2And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they became all the more quiet: and he says, 3I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the Torah of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day: 4and I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5As also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and journeyed to Damascus to bring those also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. 6And it happened, that, as I made my journey, and drew near to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light around me. 7And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? 8And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Yeshua of Nazareth, whom you persecute. 9And those who were with me saw indeed the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who spoke to me. 10And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do. 11And when I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me I came into Damascus. 12And one Ananias, a devout man according to the Torah, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13came to me, and standing by me said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And in that very hour I looked up at him. 14And he said, The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 15For you shall be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16And now why do you wait? arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name. 17And it happened, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, 18and saw him saying to me, Hurry, and get out of Jerusalem quickly; because they will not receive your testimony concerning me. 19And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those believing in you: 20and when the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who killed him. 21And he said to me, Depart: for I will send you far away from here to the Gentiles. 22And they listened to him up to this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. 23And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air, 24the commander commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what reason they so shouted against him. 25And when they had stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned? 26And when the centurion heard it, he went to the commander and told him, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman. 27And the commander came and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes. 28And the commander answered, With a great sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was born a Roman. 29Then those who were about to examine him immediately departed from him: and the commander also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. 30But on the next day, desiring to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.