Paul's Jewish Credentials and Persecution of Christians
Study note
Speaking in Hebrew to quiet the crowd, Paul establishes his credibility as a devout Jew. He was born in Tarsus, raised in Jerusalem, educated under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel in the strictest interpretation of the law, and was zealous for God. He describes how he persecuted followers of the Way to the point of death, imprisoning both men and women, with the high priest and council as his witnesses.
1 "My brothers and fathers, please listen to what I have to say in my defense." Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2 (When the crowd heard him speaking in Hebrew, they got even quieter. Paul continued:) (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 "I am Jewish through and through. I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was raised right here in this city. Gamaliel was my teacher, and he trained me in every detail of our ancestors' law. I was just as passionate about God as any of you are right now." I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 "I hunted down followers of the Way and had them killed. I had both men and women arrested and thrown into prison." And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 "The high priest and the entire council can confirm this. They even gave me official letters for the Jewish leaders in Damascus. I was on my way there to arrest believers and haul them back to Jerusalem for punishment." As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Paul's Encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road
Study note
Paul recounts his journey to Damascus when a great light from heaven suddenly surrounded him at midday. He fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus asking why Paul was persecuting him. His companions saw the light and were afraid but did not hear the voice. Jesus instructed him to go into Damascus where he would learn what he must do. Blinded by the glory of the light, Paul was led by hand into the city.
6 "I was getting close to Damascus -- it was about noon. All of a sudden, a blinding light from heaven flashed all around me." And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 "I fell to the ground and heard a voice say, 'Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me?'" And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 "'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. The voice replied, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are attacking.'" And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 "The men with me saw the bright light and were terrified, but they could not make out the words of the one speaking to me." And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 "'Lord, what should I do?' I asked. The Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus. There you will learn about everything I have planned for you to do.'" And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 "The brilliance of that light had blinded me, so my companions led me by the hand into Damascus." And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
Ananias and Paul's Commission
Study note
Paul describes how Ananias, a devout Jew well-respected by all, came to him, restored his sight, and declared that the God of their fathers had chosen Paul to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to be his witness to all people. Ananias urged Paul to be baptized and wash away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
12 "A man named Ananias came to visit me. He was a devoted follower of the law, and every Jewish person in Damascus respected him." And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 "He stood right beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, open your eyes and see!' At that very moment, my sight came back and I could see him." Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 "Ananias told me, 'The God of our fathers chose you. He wants you to know his plan. He wants you to see the Righteous One face to face. He wants you to hear him speak to you.'" And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 "You are going to tell the whole world about what you have seen and heard." For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 "So what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed clean by calling on the name of the Lord.'" And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Paul's Vision in the Temple and Mission to the Gentiles
Study note
Paul describes a later vision in the Jerusalem temple where the Lord warned him to leave quickly because the people would not accept his testimony. Paul protested that surely his background as a persecutor of Christians would make his conversion testimony compelling. But the Lord told him to go because he was being sent far away to the Gentiles.
17 "Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance." And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 "I saw the Lord speaking to me: 'Get out of Jerusalem quickly! The people here will not accept what you say about me.'" And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 "'But Lord,' I argued, 'these people know my history! I went to synagogue after synagogue throwing believers in jail and having them beaten.'" And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 "'When your witness Stephen was killed, I was standing there approving of it. I even held the coats of the men who stoned him.'" And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 "But the Lord said to me, 'Go. I am sending you far away to the Gentile nations.'" And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
The Crowd's Reaction and Paul's Roman Citizenship
Study note
The crowd listens until Paul mentions the Gentile mission, then erupts in fury, screaming that he should be killed. The commander orders Paul to be brought inside and questioned under flogging. As they stretch him out, Paul asks the centurion if it is lawful to flog a Roman citizen without trial. The commander is alarmed, revealing that he bought his citizenship at great cost, while Paul states he was born a citizen. The next day, the commander arranges for Paul to appear before the chief priests and the full council to determine the real charges against him.
22 The crowd listened to Paul right up until he said that word -- "Gentiles." Then they exploded. "Wipe him off the face of the earth!" they screamed. "He does not deserve to breathe!" And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 They were screaming, ripping off their coats, and throwing handfuls of dust into the air. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24 The commander ordered his soldiers to take Paul inside the army building. He told them to whip him to find out why the crowd was so angry. The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 The soldiers were strapping Paul down to whip him. Paul asked the officer nearby, "Can you legally whip a Roman citizen with no trial?" And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 The officer went right to the commander and said, "Watch out -- this man is a Roman citizen!" When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 The commander came over to Paul and asked, "Is it true? Are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," Paul replied. Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 "I had to pay a great amount of money to become a citizen," the commander said. Paul answered, "Well, I was born one." And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 The soldiers who had been about to interrogate Paul backed away instantly. And the commander himself got nervous when he realized he had put a Roman citizen in chains. Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 The next day, the commander wanted to get to the bottom of exactly why the Jewish leaders were accusing Paul. He had Paul's chains removed and ordered the chief priests and the full council to assemble. Then he brought Paul out and stood him before them. On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.