²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus ^(A)in the synagogues, ^[a]saying, “He is ^(B)the Son of God.” ²¹ All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem ^(C)destroyed those who ^(D)called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the ^[b]Christ.

²³ When ^(E)many days had elapsed, ^(F)the Jews plotted together to do away with him, ²⁴ but ^(G)their plot became known to Saul. ^(H)They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; ²⁵ but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

^26 (I)When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But ^(J)Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had ^(K)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how ^(L)he had ^(M)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. ²⁸ And he was with them, ^[c]moving about freely in Jerusalem, ^(N)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was talking and arguing with the ^[d](O)Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. ³⁰ Now when ^(P)the ^[e]brothers learned of it, they brought him down to ^(Q)Caesarea and ^(R)sent him away to ^(S)Tarsus.