Acts 22:1-21
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Acts 22:1-21 · BSB
1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
2When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
4I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
5as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
6About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
8‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
9My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
10Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.
12There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
13came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.
14Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice.
15You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
17Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
18and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
19‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
20And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
21Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
King James Version +−
1Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
22And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
Cross-references for verse 1
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