8. Why should any of you doubt that God raises the dead to life?
9. I once thought that I should do everything I could to oppose Jesus from Nazareth.
10. I did this first in Jerusalem, and with the authority of the chief priests I put many of God's people in jail. I even voted for them to be killed.
11. I often had them punished in our meeting places, and I tried to make them give up their faith. In fact, I was so angry with them, that I went looking for them in foreign cities.
12. King Agrippa, one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests.
13. About midday I saw a light brighter than the sun. It flashed from heaven on me and on everyone travelling with me.
14. We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice say to me in Aramaic, “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me? It's foolish to fight against me!”
15. “Who are you?” I asked.Then the Lord answered, “I am Jesus! I am the one you are so cruel to.
16. Now stand up. I have appeared to you, because I have chosen you to be my servant. You are to tell others what you have learnt about me and what I will show you later.”
17. The Lord also said, “I will protect you from the Jews and from the Gentiles that I am sending you to.