CHAPTER 22
“I
am
a Jew,
born
in
Tarsus
of Cilicia,
but
raised
in
this
city.
I was educated
at
the
feet
of Gamaliel
in strict
conformity
to the
Law
of our fathers.
I am
just as zealous
for
God
as
any of
you
here
today.
I
persecuted
this
Way
even to the
death,
detaining
both
men
and
women
and
throwing them
into
prison,
as
the
high priest
and
the
whole
Council
can testify
about me.
I even obtained
letters
from
them
to
their
brothers
in
Damascus,
and I was on my way
to apprehend
these people
and
bring them
to
Jerusalem
to
be punished.
Then
I asked,
‘What
shall I do,
Lord?’
‘Get up
and go
into
Damascus,’
He
told
me.
‘There
you
will be told
all
that
you
have been appointed
to do.’
Because
the
brilliance
of the
light
had blinded me,
my companions
led me by the hand
into
Damascus.
There
a
man named
Ananias,
a devout
observer
of the
Law
who was highly regarded
by
all
the
Jews
living there,
came
and
stood beside
me.
‘Brother
Saul,’
he said,
‘receive your sight.’
And
at
that
moment
I could see
him.
Then
he said,
‘The
God
of our
fathers
has appointed
you
to know
His
will,
and
to see
the
Righteous One,
and
to hear
His voice.
And
now
what
are you waiting for?
Get up,
be baptized,
and
wash
your
sins away,
calling on
His
name.’
and
saw
the Lord
saying
to me,
‘Hurry!
Leave
Jerusalem
quickly,
because
the people here will not accept
your
testimony
about
Me.’
‘Lord,’
I
answered,
‘they know very well
that
in one
synagogue
after another
I
imprisoned
and
beat
those who
believed
in
You.
And
when
the
blood
of Your
witness
Stephen
was shed,
I
stood there
giving my approval
and
watching over
the
garments
of those who
killed
him.’
The crowd listened
to Paul
until
he made this statement.
Then
they lifted up
their
voices
and shouted,
“Rid
the
earth
of
him!
He is not fit
to live!”
the
commander
ordered that
Paul
be brought
into
the
barracks.
He directed that
Paul
be flogged
and interrogated
to
determine
the reason
for
this
outcry
against him.
But
as
they stretched him out
to strap him down,
Paul
said
to
the
centurion
standing there,
“Is it lawful
for you
to flog
a
Roman citizen
without a trial?”
On
hearing this,
the
centurion
went
and reported it
to the
commander.
“What
are you going
to do?”
he said.
“This
man
is
a Roman citizen.”
“I
paid
a high
price
for my
citizenship,”
said
the
commander.
“But
I
was born a citizen,”
Paul
replied.
Then
those who
were about
to interrogate
Paul
stepped back,
and
the
commander
himself
was alarmed
when he realized
that
he had put
a Roman citizen in chains.
The
next day the commander,
wanting
to learn
the real reason
Paul was accused
by
the
Jews,
released
him
and
ordered
the
chief priests
and
the
whole
Sanhedrin
to assemble.
Then
he brought
Paul down
and had him stand
before
them.