Book of Common Prayer

Paul Asks To Speak To The Mob

³⁷ And being about to be brought into the barracks, Paul says to the commander, “Is it permissible for me to say something to you?” And the one said, “You know Greek? ³⁸ Then are you not the Egyptian— the one before these days having caused-an-upset^[a] and led out into the wilderness the four-thousand men of the Assassins^[b]?” ³⁹ And Paul said, “I am a Jewish man from-Tarsus^[c] of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city— and I beg you, permit me to speak to the people”. ⁴⁰ And he having permitted it, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned with his hand to the people. And a great silence having come about, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying: 22 ¹ “Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense to you now”. ² And having heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they granted more quietness.

I Am a Jew Trained By Gamaliel, And Was Zealously Persecuting The Church

And he says, ³ “I am a Jewish man, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but having been brought-up in this city; having been trained at the feet of Gamaliel^[d] in accordance with the strictness^[e] of the Law of ^[f] my ancestor^[g]; being a zealot for God just as you all are today— ⁴ who persecuted this Way to the point of death, binding and handing-over both men and women to prisons, ⁵ as indeed the high priest testifies concerning me, and the whole Council-of-elders, from whom also having received letters to the brothers, I was proceeding to Damascus to bring bound to Jerusalem even the ones being there, in order that they might be punished.

On The Way To Damascus For This Purpose, Jesus Spoke To Me And Blinded Me

⁶ “But it came about in my proceeding and drawing-near to Damascus about mid-day, that suddenly a great light from heaven flashed around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸ And I answered, ‘Who are You, sir^[h]?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting’. ⁹ And the ones being with me saw the light, but did not hear^[i] the voice of the One speaking to me. ¹⁰ And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Having arisen, proceed into Damascus. And there it will be told you concerning everything which has been assigned^[j] to you to do’. ¹¹ But since I was not seeing because of the glory of that light, I came into Damascus being hand-led by the ones being with me.

Ananias Restored My Sight And Said God Appointed Me To Be His Witness

¹² “And a certain Ananias— a reverent man in-relation-to the Law, being attested by all the Jews dwelling there, ¹³ having come to me and having stood near— said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see again’. And I looked-up at him at the very hour. ¹⁴ And the one said, the God of our fathers appointed^[k] you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One and hear a voice from His mouth, ¹⁵ because you will be a witness for Him to all people of the things which you have seen and which you heard. ¹⁶ And now, why are you delaying? Having arisen, be baptized, and wash-away your sins, having called-upon His name’.

Blind Bartimaeus Calls Upon The Messiah To Heal Him

⁴⁶ And they come to Jericho. And while He and His disciples and a considerable crowd are proceeding-out from Jericho, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting beside the road. ⁴⁷ And having heard that it was Jesus from-Nazareth, he began to cry-out and say, “Son of David, Jesus, have-mercy-on me”. ⁴⁸ And many were rebuking him in order that he might keep-silent. But the one was crying-out by much more, “Son of David, have mercy on me”. ⁴⁹ And having stopped, Jesus said, “Call him”. And they call the blind one, saying to him, “Take-courage, arise, He is calling you!” ⁵⁰ And the one, having thrown-off his cloak, having jumped-up, came to Jesus. ⁵¹ And having responded to him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind one said to Him, “Rabboni^[a]— that I may see-again!” ⁵² And Jesus said to him, “Go. Your faith has restored^[b] you”. And immediately he saw-again. And he was following Him on the road.