³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.^{(A) 4} He fell to the ground and heard a voice^(B) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”^(C)

¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on^(A) Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”^(B)

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free?^(A) Am I not an apostle?^(B) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?^(C) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?^(D)

¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,^(A) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.^(B)