Acts 22

Encounter on the Road Acts 22:6–11

⁶Verse 6. As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky. ⁷Verse 7. I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸Verse 8. I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’ ⁹Verse 9. “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me. ¹⁰Verse 10. I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’

¹¹Verse 11. When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

Meeting Ananias Acts 22:12–16

¹²Verse 12. One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus, ¹³Verse 13. came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him. ¹⁴Verse 14. He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. ¹⁵Verse 15. For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶Verse 16. Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

Vision in the Temple Acts 22:17–21

¹⁷Verse 17. “When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, ¹⁸Verse 18. and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’ ¹⁹Verse 19. I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you. ²⁰Verse 20. When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’ ²¹Verse 21. “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”

Crowd's Reaction Acts 22:22–24

²²Verse 22. They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!” ²³Verse 23. As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air, ²⁴Verse 24. the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.

Roman Citizenship Revealed Acts 22:25–29

²⁵Verse 25. When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?” ²⁶Verse 26. When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!” ²⁷Verse 27. The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” ²⁸Verse 28. The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” ²⁹Verse 29. Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

Paul Brought Before the Council Acts 22:30

³⁰Verse 30. But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.