Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise
the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in
Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received
authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave
my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and
compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I
persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the
chief priests, at mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven,
above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which
journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a
voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I
said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
But rise, and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this
purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which
thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I
send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and
from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of
sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in
me.

Whereupon, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;
but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and of Jerusalem, and throughout
all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent
and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. For these causes the
Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having therefore