Acts 26:9-18

9“So then, 1I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to 2the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And this is 3just what I 4did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the 5saints in prisons, having 6received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I 7cast my vote against them. 11And 8as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being 9furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them 10even to 11foreign cities.

12“12While so engaged 13as 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, 14brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14And when we had 15all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the 1617Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 18It 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 19stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to 20appoint you a 21minister and 22a witness not only to the things which you have 23seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 1724rescuing you 25from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18to 26open their eyes so that they may turn from 27darkness to light and from the dominion of 28Satan to God, that they may receive 29forgiveness of sins and an 30inheritance among those who have been sanctified by 31faith in Me.’