Acts 22:17-29 - Paul's Call To Preach To The Gentiles

¹⁷ And it came to pass, after I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance, ¹⁸ and saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.

¹⁹ And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I threw into prison, and scourged, in every synagogue, those who believed on thee; ²⁰ and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.

²¹ And he said to me, Depart, for I will send you far off to the Gentiles.

²² And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice, saying: Away with such a man from the earth! for it is not fit that he should live.

²³ And as they were crying out, and tossing off their clothes, and throwing dust into the air, ²⁴ the officer commanded him to be led into the fortress, and gave orders that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so cried out against him. ²⁵ But Paul said to the centurion who stood by, as he caused him to be bent forward to the straps: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?

²⁶ And when the centurion heard that, he went out and told it to the officer, saying: "What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

²⁷ And the officer came and said to him: Tell me, are you a Roman? He answered: Yes.

²⁸ And the officer answered: With a great Bum did I purchase this citizenship. And Paul replied: But I was born a citizen.

²⁹ Then, those who were about to examine him, immediately departed from him. And the officer was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.