1. Paul said, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! I will make my defense to you.”
2. When the Jews heard him speaking the Jewish language, they became very quiet. Paul said,
3. “I am a Jew. I was born in Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I grew up in this city. I was a student of Gamaliel. He carefully taught me everything about the law of our ancestors. I was very serious about serving God, just as are all of you here today.
4. I hurt the people who followed the Way of Jesus. Some of them were even killed. I arrested men and women and put them in jail.
5. The high priest and the whole council of Jewish elders can tell you that this is true. These leaders gave me letters to the Jewish brothers in Damascus. So I was going there to arrest these people and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.
6. “But something happened to me on my way to Damascus. It was about noon when I came near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed all around me.
7. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you doing things against me?’
8. I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The voice said, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth. I am the One you are trying to hurt.’