1. “Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defence before you now.”
2. And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Heḇrew language, they kept greater silence. And he said:
3. “I am indeed a Yehuḏite, having been born in Tarsos of Kilikia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamli’ĕl, having been instructed according to the exactness of the Torah of our fathers, being ardent for Elohim, as you all are today,
4. who persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women,
5. as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the eldership, from whom I also received letters to the brothers, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Yerushalayim to be punished.
6. “And it came to be, as I was journeying and coming near Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me out of the heaven,
7. and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why do you persecute Me?’
8. “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Master?’ And He said to me, ‘I am יהושע of Natsareth, whom you persecute.’