²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(A) that Jesus is the Son of God.^{(B) 21} All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?^(C) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^{(D) 22} Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(E)

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^{(F) 24} but Saul learned of their plan.^(G) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.^(H)

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem,^(I) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas^(J) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,^(K) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^{(L) 28} So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a](M) but they tried to kill him.^{(N) 30} When the believers^(O) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(P) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(Q)