[Acts 22] ^22:1 Men, brethren and fathers! Hear^° now my defense to you^°. ^22:2 But after they heard that he was shouting to them in the Hebrew language, they provided him with even more quietness {i.e., they shut up}, and he says, ^22:3 I am indeed a man, a Jew, who has been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but has been reared in this city beside the feet of Gamaliel, and has been educated according-to the exactness of the Law of our forefathers, being^* a zealous one of God, just-as you^° all are today; ^22:4 I who persecuted this Way till death, binding and giving into prisons both men and women. ^22:5 As also the high-priest and all the eldership can testify of me; from whom I also accepted letters to the brethren, and I was traveling to Damascus. I will be leading also the ones being there who has been bound to Jerusalem in-order-that they might be punished.

 

                          {Examples of those who are saved in the New Testament: Acts 2:14-42; 8:5-13; 8:30-39; 10:34-48; 16:13-15; 16:25-34; 18:8a; 18:8b; 19:1-7; Saul/Apostle Paul: 9:17-18, 22:6-16, 26:12-18.}

             ^22:6 Now it happened to me, while traveling and drawing near to Damascus, around midday, a considerable light from heaven suddenly happened to flash around me. ^22:7 And I fell to the solid-ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?

             ^22:8 But I answered, Who are you, Lord?

             And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.

             ^22:9 But the ones who are together-with me indeed saw the light and became fearful, but they did not hear with understanding the voice of the one speaking to me. ^22:10 But I said, What should I do^*, Lord?

             But the Lord said to me, When you have stood up, travel into Damascus, and it will be spoken to you there concerning all things which have been appointed for you to do.

             ^22:11 Now as I was not seeing anything apart from the glory of that light, I came into Damascus, being led by the hand by the ones there, being together-with me. ^22:12 Now a certain one named Ananias, a devout man according-to the law, being testified of by all the Jews dwelling there, ^22:13 came to me, stood by me and said to me, Brother Saul, recover your sight! And I looked up at him in the same hour. ^22:14 Now he said, The God of our fathers assigned you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. ^22:15 Because you will be a witness for him to all men of what things you have seen and heard. ^22:16 And now, why are you hesitating? After you have stood up and called upon the name of the Lord, be immersed^* and fully-wash away your sins.

             ^22:17 Now after I returned to Jerusalem, it happened to me and at my praying in the temple, then it was for me to become into a trance, ^22:18 and to see him saying to me, Hurry, and go forth quickly out-of Jerusalem, because they will not be accepting the testimony from you concerning me.

             ^22:19 And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and smacking them in every one of the synagogues, the ones believing upon you; ^22:20 and when the blood of Stephen, your witness, was being shed, I myself was also standing there and was consenting to the assassination, guarding the garments of the ones assassinating him.

             ^22:21 And he said to me, Travel on, because I will be sending you out to the Gentiles who are afar.

 

             ^22:22 Now they were hearing him till this speech, and they lifted up their voice, saying, Take such a one away from the earth; for^* it was not proper for him to live.

             ^22:23 Now from them crying out and tossing off their garments and casting dust into the air, ^22:24 the commander commanded him to be led into the encampment, and said, He is to be interrogated with scourges, in-order-that he might fully know because of what crime they were shouting out against him so.

             ^22:25 But as he stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion who is standing there, If it is legal for you^° to scourge a Roman man and uncondemned, go ahead {i.e., sarcasm}?

             ^22:26 But the centurion heard it and went to the commander and reported to him, saying, Behold, what are you about to do^*? For^* this man is a Roman.

             ^22:27 Now the commander came and was saying to him, Tell me if you are a Roman.

             Now he said, Yes.

             ^22:28 And the commander answered, I procured this citizenship with a large sum.

             But Paul was saying, But I have even been born Roman.

             ^22:29 Therefore, the ones who are about to interrogate him immediately withdrew from him. The commander was also afraid, after he fully knew that he is a Roman, and because he has bound him.

 

             ^22:30 But on the next-day, planning to know the certainty of why he is accused of something from the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the high-priests and their whole council to come and he led Paul there and stood him toward them.