1. Paul said, “My brothers and fathers, listen to me! I will make my defense to you.”
2. When the Jews heard Paul speaking Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said,
3. “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in the country of Cilicia. I grew up in this city. I was a student of Gamaliel, who carefully taught me everything about the law of our fathers. I was very serious about serving God, the same as all of you here today.
4. I persecuted the people who followed the Way. Some of them were killed because of me. I arrested men and women and put them in jail.
5. “The high priest and the whole council of older Jewish leaders can tell you that this is true. One time these leaders gave me some letters. The letters were to the Jewish brothers in the city of Damascus. I was going there to arrest the followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.
6. “But something happened to me on my way to Damascus. It was about noon when I came close to Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from heaven shined all around me.
7. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8. “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The voice said, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’