Acts 22

Paul’s Defense

1 Paul started speaking, “Brothers, and elders, listen to my side of the story.”

2 When they heard him speaking Hebrew, the crowd got even quieter.

3 Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but I grew up here in Jerusalem, studying under Gamaliel. I was trained in the strict laws of our ancestors and was just as zealous for God as you all are today.

4 I used to hunt down followers of the Way, throwing them in jail and even getting them killed.

5 The high priest and the council can vouch for me. I even got letters from them to go to Damascus and arrest believers to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.”

6 “But on my way to Damascus, around noon, a crazy bright light from heaven flashed all around me.

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you tripping, coming after me,’

8 I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the voice said, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are chasing.’

9 The people with me saw the light but did not hear the voice clearly.

10 I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘Get up, go into Damascus, and you will find out what is next.’

11 Since the light blinded me, my boys had to lead me into Damascus by the hand.”

12 “There was this dude named Ananias, a devout believer, respected by all the Jews in Damascus.

13 He came to me, stood there, and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ At that moment, I could see again.

14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors chose you to know His will, see the Righteous One, and hear His voice.

15 You are going to be His witness to everybody, telling them what you have seen and heard.

16 So what are you waiting for, Get up, get baptized, and call on His name to wash away your sins.’”

17 “After I came back to Jerusalem, I was praying in the temple, and I had a vision.

18 I saw the Lord telling me, ‘Hurry up and leave Jerusalem because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 I said, ‘Lord, they know I went hard against your followers. I arrested and beat them in the synagogues.

20 When Stephen, your witness, got stoned, I was there holding the coats of the people who killed him.’

21 But the Lord said to me, ‘Go. I am sending you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Crowd Reacts

22 The crowd listened until Paul said “Gentiles.” Then they lost it and started shouting, “Kill him! He is not fit to live!”

23 They were screaming, throwing off their cloaks, and flinging dust in the air.

24 The commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and whipped to find out why the crowd was so mad.

Paul Claims Roman Citizenship

25 As they were tying him up, Paul asked the centurion, “Is it legal to whip a Roman citizen who has not been convicted?”

26 The centurion went to the commander and said, “Listen, you better check this. This man’s a Roman citizen.”

27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Are you really a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yeah.”

28 The commander said, “I had to pay big money to become a citizen.” Paul replied, “I was born a citizen.”

29 The people who were about to interrogate him backed off immediately. The commander was shook because he had put a Roman citizen in chains.

30 The next day, the commander wanted to know exactly why the Jews were accusing Paul, so he released him and ordered the chief priests and the council to assemble. Then he brought Paul to stand before them.