Acts 22:17-29 - Paul's Call To Preach To The Gentiles
17 And it happened to me, I returning to Jerusalem and praying in the temple, I became in an ecstasy. 18 And I saw Him say to me, Hurry and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and beating those who believed on You throughout the synagogues. 20 And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was poured out, I also was standing by and consenting to his death, and holding the garments of those who killed him.
21 And He said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the nations.
22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they lifted up their voice, saying, Take such a one from the earth! For it is not fitting that he should live.
23 And as they shouted and tore their garments, and threw dust into the air, 24 the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying for him to be examined by scourging, so that he might know why they cried out so against him. 25 And as they stretched him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?
26 And hearing, coming near the centurion reported to the chiliarch, saying, Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman.
27 And coming up the chiliarch said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? And He said, Yes.
28 And the chiliarch answered, With a great sum I bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was even born free.
29 Then immediately, those being about to examine him stood away from him. And the chiliarch also was afraid, fully knowing that he was a Roman, and that he had bound him.