Acts 22:4-21

New International Version

⁴ I persecuted^(A) the followers of this Way^(B) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,^{(C) 5} as the high priest and all the Council^(D) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates^(E) in Damascus,^(F) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁶ “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.^{(G) 7} I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

⁸ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,^(H) whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ⁹ My companions saw the light,^(I) but they did not understand the voice^(J) of him who was speaking to me.

¹⁰ “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’^{(K) 11} My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.^(L)

¹² “A man named Ananias came to see me.^(M) He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.^{(N) 13} He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

¹⁴ “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors^(O) has chosen you to know his will and to see^(P) the Righteous One^(Q) and to hear words from his mouth. ¹⁵ You will be his witness^(R) to all people of what you have seen^(S) and heard. ¹⁶ And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized^(T) and wash your sins away,^(U) calling on his name.’^(V)

¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem^(W) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance^{(X) 18} and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

¹⁹ “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison^(Y) and beat^(Z) those who believe in you. ²⁰ And when the blood of your martyr^[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’^(AA)

²¹ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”^(AB)