And when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia seeing him in the temple excited all the multitude, and laid hands on him, crying, Men of Israel, help; this is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and besides he has brought Greeks into the temple, and defiled this holy place. For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. And all the city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him without the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.

And while they were seeking to kill him, a report went up to the chiliarch of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in commotion;

who immediately taking soldiers and centurions ran down upon them; and seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, they ceased beating Paul. Then the chiliarch approaching took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done. But some cried one thing, and some another, in the multitude, and not being able to learn the truth, on account of the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the fortress. And when he was on the steps, it happened that he was borne by the soldiers, on account of the violence of the multitude; for the multitude of the people followed, crying, Take him away.

And being about to be carried into the fortress, Paul said to the chiliarch, May I have permission to speak to you? And he said, Do you understand Greek? Are you not the Egyptian who before these days excited a sedition, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men who were murderers? And Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of a not undistinguished city, I beg of you, permit me to speak to the people. And he giving him permission, Paul stood up on the steps, and motioned with his hand to the people; and when there was great silence, he spoke in the Hebrew language, and said, Men, brothers and fathers, hear my present defense before you. And hearing that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept the greater silence.

And he said, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, instructed at the feet of Gamaliel in the accurate interpretation of the law of our fathers, and am a zealous worshipper of God as you all are to-day; and I persecuted this way to death, binding and committing to prison both men and women, as the chief priest also bears me witness, and all the eldership, from whom also receiving letters to the brothers I went to Damascus, to bring those who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished.

And when I was on the way and had come nigh to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me, and I fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazoræan, whom you persecute. And those that were with me saw the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go to

Damascus, and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.

And when I could not see from the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by those with me, I came to Damascus. And a certain Ananias, a man [living] according to the law, approved by all the Jews living [there], coming and standing by, said to me, Brother Saul, Receive your sight. And in that hour I looked upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers chose you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and hear the voice of his mouth, for you shall be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now, why do you delay? Arising, baptize and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

And when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I was in a trance, and saw him [Christ], saying to me, Hasten and depart immediately from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony of me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in the synagogues those who believed on you; and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was poured out, I also stood by and consented, and kept the clothes of those that killed him. And he said to me, Go, for I will send you to nations far away.

And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice saying, Take away such a man from the earth; it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried and rent their clothes and cast dust in the air, the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, ordering that he should be examined with scourges, that he might know for what reason they cried so against him. But when they extended him with cords, he said to the centurion standing by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, a Roman, and uncondemned? And the centurion hearing this, went and told the chiliarch, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman. And the chiliarch came to him and said, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes. And the chiliarch answered, I acquired this citizenship for a great price. But Paul said, I am indeed, and was also born [one]. Then those about to examine him immediately withdrew from him; and the chiliarch was afraid, knowing that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

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