Acts 22:1-30 NIV
Then Paul said:
3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the Law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for GOD as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the Law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for GOD as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard
‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute ME?’
“ ‘I AM JESUS of Nazareth, WHOM you
are persecuting,’
are persecuting,’
HE Replied.
“ ‘Get up,’
The LORD Said,
‘And go into Damascus. There you will be
told all that you have been assigned to
do.’
11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12“A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the Law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14“Then he said:
‘The GOD of our ancestors Has
Chosen you to know HIS Will and to see The
RIGHTEOUS ONE and to hear WORDS
From HIS Mouth.
15You will be HIS Witness to all people 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.’
‘The GOD of our ancestors Has
Chosen you to know HIS Will and to see The
RIGHTEOUS ONE and to hear WORDS
From HIS Mouth.
15You will be HIS Witness to all people 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.’
17“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at
the Temple, I fell into a trance
18and saw The LORD Speaking to me.
the Temple, I fell into a trance
18and saw The LORD Speaking to me.
‘Quick!’
HE Said.
‘Leave Jerusalem
immediately, because the people here
will not accept your testimony about ME.’
19“ ‘LORD,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in YOU.
20And when the blood of YOUR martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’
20And when the blood of YOUR martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’
Paul the Roman Citizen
22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted,
“Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”
“Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”
23As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there,
“Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t
even been found guilty?”
even been found guilty?”
26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it.
“What are you going to do?” he asked.
“What are you going to do?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
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