The Conversion of Paul
Saul is described as still breathing threats and murder, travelling to Damascus with letters authorising him to arrest followers of the Way. On the road a light stops him and a voice asks why he is being persecuted — the question identifies the persecuted community with the one speaking.
He is blind for three days and neither eats nor drinks. The disciple sent to him, Ananias, argues with the instruction first, having heard exactly what this man has done in Jerusalem, and is told to go anyway.
The reversal is total and immediate: within days he is arguing in the Damascus synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God, and has to be let down the city wall in a basket to escape a plot against him. Acts tells the story three times over. Paul's own account in Galatians is brief and insists he received the message from no human source.
Where in scripture
[1] But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, [2] and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. [3] As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. [4] He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” [5] He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [6] But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” [7] The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. …
Acts 9:1–31 — opening verses
[1] “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.” [2] When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said, [3] “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today. [4] I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. [5] As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. …
Acts 22:1–21 — opening verses
[1] Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. [2] “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, [3] especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. [4] “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; [5] having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. [6] Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, …
Acts 26:1–23 — opening verses
[11] But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. [12] For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. [13] For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it. [14] I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, [16] to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, …
Galatians 1:11–24 — opening verses
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
