¹¹ Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(A) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

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.

⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying^(A) and heaped abuse^(B) on him.

¹⁷ Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(A) and be flogged in the synagogues.^(B)

⁵ as the high priest and all the Council^(A) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates^(B) in Damascus,^(C) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

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

¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.^(A)

⁷ Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.^{(A) 29} How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God^(B) underfoot,^(C) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant^(D) that sanctified them,^(E) and who has insulted the Spirit^(F) of grace?^(G)

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,^(A) Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning^(B) is driving you insane.”

²⁵ “I am not insane, most excellent^(C) Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable.