Acts 26:12-23

12“1While so engaged 2as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, 3brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14And when we had 4all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the 56Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 7It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16But get up and 8stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to 9appoint you a 10minister and 11a witness not only to the things which you have 12seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 1713rescuing you 14from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18to 15open their eyes so that they may turn from 16darkness to light and from the dominion of 17Satan to God, that they may receive 18forgiveness of sins and an 19inheritance among those who have been sanctified by 20faith in Me.’

19“So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20but kept declaring both 21to those of Damascus first, and also 22at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even 23to the Gentiles, that they should 24repent and turn to God, performing deeds 25appropriate to repentance. 21For this reason some Jews 26seized me in the temple and tried 27to put me to death. 22So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day 28testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what 29the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 233031that 32the Christ was 33to suffer, and 34that 35by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim 36light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”