Ananias Baptizes Saul

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus ^(A)named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

¹¹ So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul ^(B)of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. ¹² And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

¹³ Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, ^(C)how much ^[a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all ^(D)who call on Your name.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ^(E)he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before ^(F)Gentiles, ^(G)kings, and the ^(H)children^[b] of Israel. ¹⁶ For ^(I)I will show him how many things he must suffer for My ^(J)name’s sake.”

^17 (K)And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and ^(L)laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord ^[c]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and ^(M)be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

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. ¹⁰ So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ ¹¹ And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

¹² “Then ^(O)a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, ^(P)having a good testimony with all the ^(Q)Jews who dwelt there, ¹³ came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. ¹⁴ Then he said, ^(R)‘The God of our fathers ^(S)has chosen you that you should ^(T)know His will, and ^(U)see the Just One, ^(V)and hear the voice of His mouth. ^15 (W)For you will be His witness to all men of ^(X)what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, ^(Y)and wash away your sins, ^(Z)calling on the name of the Lord.’