Acts 22:1-9

New King James Version

Paul’s Defense at Jerusalem

22 “Brethren^(A) and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” ² And when they heard that he spoke to them in the ^(B)Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.

Then he said: ^3 (C)“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city ^(D)at the feet of ^(E)Gamaliel, taught ^(F)according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and ^(G)was zealous toward God ^(H)as you all are today. ^4 (I)I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, ⁵ as also the high priest bears me witness, and ^(J)all the council of the elders, ^(K)from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus ^(L)to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁶ “Now ^(M)it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

⁹ “And ^(N)those who were with me indeed saw the light ^[a]and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.