³⁷ As ·the soldiers [^Lthey] were about to take Paul into the ·army building [barracks], he spoke to the ·commander [tribune], “May I say something to you?”

·The commander [^LHe] said, “Do you speak Greek? ³⁸ ·I thought you were [^LAre you not…?] the Egyptian who started ·some trouble against the government [a revolt; an insurrection] ·not long ago [or some time ago; ^Caccording to the Jewish historian Josephus, the event occurred about three years prior to this] and led four thousand ·killers [terrorists; cut-throats; ^Lof the sicarii; ^CJosephus identifies sicarii (“dagger-men”) as assassins who mingled with crowds and used daggers to murder Romans and their collaborators] out to the desert.”

³⁹ Paul said, “No, I am a Jew from Tarsus [9:11] in the ·country [province] of Cilicia [6:9]. I am a citizen of that ·important [^Lnot insignificant] city. ·Please [^LI beg/urge you], let me speak to the people.”

⁴⁰ ·The commander [^LHe] gave permission, so Paul stood on the steps and ·waved [signaled/gestured with] ·his hand to quiet the people [^Lhis hand]. When there was silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language [^Cprobably Aramaic; the biblical writers do not distinguish between these related languages, calling both “Hebrew”].

Paul Speaks to the People

22 Paul said, “[^LMen,] Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense to you.” ² When they heard him ·speaking [addressing them in] the Hebrew [or Aramaic; 21:40] language, they became ·very [even more] quiet. Paul said, ³ “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus [9:11] in the ·country [province] of Cilicia [6:9], but I ·grew up [was brought up; or was educated] in this city [^CJerusalem]. I was ·a student of [^Linstructed at the feet of; ^Cidiom indicating the role of a disciple] Gamaliel [^Ca famous teacher of the Pharisees; 5:34], who ·carefully [or strictly] taught me everything about the law of our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers]. I was ·very serious about serving [^Lzealous/passionate for] God, just as are all of you here today. ⁴ I persecuted the people who followed ·the Way of Jesus [^Lthis Way; ^Canother name for the Christian movement; 9:2; 18:25; 19:23], ·and some of them were even killed [^Lup to the point of death; 7:60]. I ·arrested [^Lbound] men and women and put them in jail. ⁵ The high priest and the whole council of elders can ·tell you this is true [testify about me]. They gave me letters to the brothers [^Ctheir fellow Jewish leaders] in Damascus. So I was going there to ·arrest [^Lbind] these people and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁶ “About noon when I came near Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly ·flashed [shone] all around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸ I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ·The voice [^LHe] said, ‘I am Jesus ·of Nazareth [or the Nazarene] whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Those who were with me did not ·understand [or hear; ^Cthe word can mean either “hear” or “understand,” but 9:7 suggests the latter] the voice [^Lthat was speaking to me], but they saw the light. ¹⁰ I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord answered, ‘Get up and go to Damascus. There you will be told about all the things ·I have planned [or assigned; appointed] for you to do.’ ¹¹ I could not see, because ·the bright light had made me blind [^Lof the glory/brilliance of that light]. So ·my companions [^Lthose with me] led me [^Lby the hand] into Damascus.

¹² “There a man named Ananias came to me. He was a ·religious [devout; God-fearing] man; ·he obeyed the law of Moses [^L…according to the law], and all the Jews who lived there ·respected [spoke well of] him. ¹³ He [^Lcame to me and] stood by me and said, ‘Brother Saul, ·see again [^Llook up; ^Can idiom for regaining sight]!’ ·Immediately [^LAt that hour] I ·was able to see [^Llooked up at] him. ¹⁴ He said, ‘The God of our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers] ·chose [appointed] you long ago to know his ·plan [will; purpose], to see the Righteous One [^CJesus], and to hear ·words [a divine message; ^La voice] from ·him [^Lhis mouth]. ¹⁵ You will be his witness to all people, telling them about what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ Now, ·why wait any longer [what are you waiting for]? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, ·trusting in him to save you [^Lcalling on his name].’

¹⁷ “Later, when I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple, and I ·saw a vision [or fell into a trance]. ¹⁸ I saw ·the Lord [^Lhim] saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem ·now [or quickly]! The people here will not accept ·the truth [^Lyour testimony/witness] about me.’ ¹⁹ But I said, ‘Lord, they [^Lthemselves; very well] know that in every synagogue I put ·the believers [^Lthose who believe in you] in jail and beat them. ²⁰ They also know I was there when Stephen, your ·witness [or martyr], ·was killed [^Lhad his blood shed]. I [myself; indeed] stood there agreeing and ·holding [guarding; keeping] the coats of those who were killing him!’ ²¹ But the Lord said to me, ‘·Leave now [Go!]. I will send you far away to the ·other nations [Gentiles].’”