¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem^(A) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance^{(B) 18} and 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^(C) and beat^(D) those who believe in you. ²⁰ And when the blood of your martyr^[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’^(E)

²¹ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”^(F)

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!^(A) As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”^(B)