Acts 22:1-5 - Paul Defends Himself

¹ "Brothers and fathers," he said, "listen to what I have to say in my defense." ² When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet, and he said, ³ "I am a Jew, and I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but was brought up here in this city, and thoroughly educated under the teaching of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers. I was zealous for God, just as all of you are today. ⁴ I persecuted this Way even to the death, and bound both men and women and put them in prison, ⁵ as the high priest and the whole council will bear me witness. In fact, they gave me letters to the brothers in Damascus and I went there to bind those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.