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“Brothers and fathers, hear now my defense before you.”
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And hearing that he addressed them in the Ivrit tongue, they became even more silent. And he said:
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“I am a Yehudi ish, born in Tarsos of Qilikia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamli’el, educated according to the strictness of the ancestral Torah, being zealous for Elohim, just as all of you are today.
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I persecuted this Way to death, binding and handing over into prisons both ishim and ishahot,
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as even the great kohen and all the council of elders bear witness to me, from whom I also received letters to the brothers and traveled toward Damascus to bring those there bound to Yerushalayim so that they might be punished.
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And it came to pass, as I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus around midday, suddenly a great light from the heavens flashed around me.
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And I fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to me: ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why do you persecute me?’
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And I answered: ‘Who are you, Master?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Yahushua the Natzri, whom you persecute.’
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Now those with me indeed saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the one speaking to me.
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And I said: ‘What shall I do, Master?’ And the Master said to me: ‘Rise, go into Damascus, and there it shall be told to you concerning everything appointed for you to do.’
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And since I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those with me, I came into Damascus.
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And a certain Chananyah, a devout ish according to the Torah, having good testimony from all the Yehudim dwelling there,
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came to me, stood beside me, and said: ‘Brother Sha’ul, receive your sight.’ And in that same hour I looked up at him.
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And he said: ‘The Elohim of our fathers appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth,
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because you shall be a witness for him to all Adam of the things you have seen and heard.
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And now why do you delay? Rise, be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling upon his Name.’
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And it came to pass, when I returned to Yerushalayim and was praying in the House, that I came into a trance
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and saw him saying to me: ‘Hurry and go out quickly from Yerushalayim, because they shall not receive your testimony concerning me.’
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And I said: ‘Master, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those trusting in you.
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And when the blood of Stephanos your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and guarding the garments of those killing him.’
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And he said to me: ‘Go, because I shall send you far away to the nations.’”
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And they listened to him until this word, and then lifted up their voice, saying: “Remove such a one from the earth, for it is not fitting for him to live.”
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And as they were crying out, throwing off their garments, and casting dust into the air,
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the commander ordered him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, so that he might know for what reason they were shouting against him in this way.
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But when they stretched him out with the straps, Paulos said to the centurion standing there: “Is it lawful for you to scourge an ish who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”
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And hearing this, the centurion went to the commander and reported, saying: “What are you about to do? For this ish is a Roman.”
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And the commander came and said to him: “Tell me— are you a Roman?” And he said: “Yes.”
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And the commander answered: “With a great sum I acquired this citizenship.” But Paulos said: “But I was born a citizen.”
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Therefore immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him, and the commander also became afraid when he learned that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
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And on the next day, desiring to know with certainty why he was accused by the Yehudim, he released him from the bonds and commanded the chief kohenim and all the council to assemble. And bringing Paulos down, he stood him among them.