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 <div class="p">8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> </div>
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 <div class="p">1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord&#8217;s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, &#8220;Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5&#8220;Who are you, Lord?&#8221; Saul asked.</div><div class="p"> &#8220;I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,&#8221; he replied. 6&#8220;Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.</div><div class="p"> 10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, &#8220;Ananias!&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p"> 11The Lord told him, &#8220;Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13&#8220;Lord,&#8221; Ananias answered, &#8220;I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15But the Lord said to Ananias, &#8220;Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, &#8220;Brother Saul, the Lord&#8212;Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here&#8212;has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.&#8221; 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul&#8217;s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.</div>
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 <div class="nb">1&#8220;Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.</div><div class="p">Then Paul said: 3&#8220;I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.</div><div class="p"> 6&#8220;About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, &#8216;Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Who are you, Lord?&#8217; I asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220; &#8216;I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,&#8217; he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.</div><div class="p"> 10&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;What shall I do, Lord?&#8217; I asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220; &#8216;Get up,&#8217; the Lord said, &#8216;and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.&#8217; 11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, &#8216;Brother Saul, receive your sight!&#8217; And at that very moment I was able to see him.</div><div class="p"> 14&#8220;Then he said: &#8216;The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 17&#8220;When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw the Lord speaking to me. &#8216;Quick!&#8217; he said. &#8216;Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 19&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Lord,&#8217; I replied, &#8216;these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyr#22:20 Or witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 21&#8220;Then the Lord said to me, &#8216;Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.&#8217; &#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="p">1Then Agrippa said to Paul, &#8220;You have permission to speak for yourself.&#8221;</div><div class="p">So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2&#8220;King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.</div><div class="p"> 4&#8220;The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?</div><div class="p"> 9&#8220;I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord&#8217;s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,#26:14 Or Hebrew &#8216;Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;Then I asked, &#8216;Who are you, Lord?&#8217;</div><div class="p">&#8220; &#8216;I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,&#8217; the Lord replied. 16&#8216;Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 19&#8220;So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen&#8212; 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24At this point Festus interrupted Paul&#8217;s defense. &#8220;You are out of your mind, Paul!&#8221; he shouted. &#8220;Your great learning is driving you insane.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25&#8220;I am not insane, most excellent Festus,&#8221; Paul replied. &#8220;What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, &#8220;Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29Paul replied, &#8220;Short time or long&#8212;I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> </div>
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