¹⁰ And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(A) in prison,^(B) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^(C)

³ But Saul^(A) began to destroy the church.^(B) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

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?^(A) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^(B)

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people^(A) in Jerusalem.^{(B) 14} And he has come here with authority from the chief priests^(C) to arrest all who call on your name.”^(D)

⁴ I persecuted^(A) the followers of this Way^(B) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,^{(C) 5} as the high priest and all the Council^(D) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates^(E) in Damascus,^(F) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(A) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(B) the church of God.^(C)

¹⁹ “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison^(A) and beat^(B) 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.’^(C)

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem,^(A) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

Saul’s Conversion^(A)

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.^(B) He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,^(C) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,^(D) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.