Book of Common Prayer

9 Saul was still very angry with the Lord's disciples. He said he would kill them. He went to the high priest.

² He asked him for letters to take to the meeting places at Damascus. In this way he was given the power to catch any men or women disciples. He could tie them and bring them back to Jerusalem.

³ He went on his way. All at once, near the city of Damascus, a light from the sky shone around him.

⁴ He fell to the ground and heard someone say, `Saul, Saul, why are you troubling me?'

⁵ Saul said, `Who are you, Lord?' The Lord said, `I am Jesus. You are troubling me.

⁶ But get up and go to the city. There you will be told what you must do.'

⁷ The men who had come with Saul stood there. They did not say a word. They heard a voice but did not see anyone.

⁸ Saul got up off the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was blind. They took his hand and led him to Damascus.

⁹ For three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink.

²⁶ They took Jesus away. On the way, they caught a man who was coming in from the farms. His name was Simon. He was born in the country of Cyrene. They made him walk behind Jesus and carry his cross.

²⁷ Many people followed him. Women cried and were sorry for him.

²⁸ But Jesus turned to them and said, `Daughters of Jerusalem, do not cry for me. But cry for yourselves and for your children.

²⁹ The time will come when people will say, "Happy are the women who have no children or who have never had a child."

³⁰ Then people will begin to say to the big hills, "Fall on us." They will say to the small hills, "Hide us."

³¹ If this is what people do when the wood is new, what will they do when it is old?'