As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.

He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands.

It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.

When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.

For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."