Book of Common Prayer

³⁷ And as Paul began to be led into the castle, he said to the high captain, May I speak to you? He said, Can you speak Greek? ³⁸ Are you not that Egyptian who before these days caused a riot, and led out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?

³⁹ But Paul said, I am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city. I beseech you, allow me to speak to the people.

⁴⁰ When he had given him leave, Paul stood on the steps and beckoned with his hand to the people, and there was a great silence. And he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

Paul answers to the Jews, is scourged, and is put in prison again.

22 Men, brethren and fathers, hear my answer, which I make to you.

² When they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence.

And he said, ³ I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and thoroughly taught in the law of the fathers. And I was fervent-minded toward God, as you all are this same day. ⁴ And I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women, ⁵ as the chief priest bears me witness, and all the elders – from whom also I received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem, to be punished.

⁶ But it came to pass, as I made my journey and had come near to Damascus about noon, that suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about me. ⁷ And I fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ⁸ And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.

⁹ And those who were with me saw a light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of him who spoke with me. ¹⁰ And I said, What shall I do Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise and go into Damascus, and there it will be told you all the things that are appointed for you to do.

¹¹ And when I could not see anything due to the brightness of the light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. ¹² And one Ananias, a godly man, and as pertaining to the law having a good report among all the Jews who dwelt there, ¹³ came to me. And he stood and said to me, Brother Saul, look up! And that same hour I received my sight, and could see him. ¹⁴ And he said, The God of our fathers has fore-ordained you to know his will, and to see that which is rightful, and to hear the voice of his mouth. ¹⁵ For you shall be his witness to all people of those things that you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now, why tarry? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, in calling on the name of the Lord.

¹² And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³ And as soon as it was day, he called his disciples. And of them he chose twelve, whom he also called apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; ¹⁵ Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelotes; ¹⁶ Judas, James’ son; and Judas Iscariot, which same was the traitor.

¹⁷ And he came down with them, and stood in the open field with the company of his disciples and a great crowd of people out of all parts of Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, ¹⁸ and people also who were vexed with foul spirits, and they were healed. ¹⁹ And all the people pressed in to touch him, because power went out of him and healed them all.

²⁰ And he lifted up his eyes upon the disciples and said, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ²² Blessed are you when men hate you and thrust you out of their company, and rail, and abhor your name as an evil thing, for the Son of man’s sake. ²³ Rejoice then, and be glad, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. Likewise did their fathers treat the prophets.

²⁴ But woe is to you who are rich, for you have therein your consolation. ²⁵ Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who now laugh, for you will wail and weep. ²⁶ Woe to you when all men praise you, for likewise did their fathers praise the false prophets.