Paul Gives Personal Witness

 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here, in this city, where I was educated in the school of Gamaliel, according to the strict observance of our law.  And I was dedicated to GOD's service, as are all of you today.  As for this way, I persecuted it to the point of death and arrested its followers, both men and women, throwing them into prison.

The High Priest and the whole Council of elders can bear witness to this.  From them, I received letters for the Jewish brothers in Damascus; and I set out to arrest those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.  But, as I was traveling along, nearing Damascus, at about noon, a great light from the sky suddenly flashed about me.  I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute ME?'  I answered: Who are YOU, LORD?'  And HE said to me: 'I AM JESUS, the Nazorean, whom you persecute.'  The men who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.  I asked: 'What shall I do, LORD?'  And the LORD replied: 'Get up and go to Damascus; there, you will be told all that you are destined to do.'  Yet, the brightness of that light had blinded me; and, so, I was led by the hand into Damascus by my companions.

There, a certain Ananias came to me.  He was a devout observer of the law, and well-spoken of by all the Jews who were living there.  As he stood by me, he said: 'Brother Saul, recover your sight.'  At that moment, I could see; and I looked at him.  He, then, said, 'The GOD of our ancestors has chosen you to know HIS will, to see the Just One, and to hear the words from HIS mouth.  From now on you shall be HIS witness before all that you have seen and heard.  And now, why delay?  Get up and be baptized; and have your sins washed away, by calling upon HIS Name.'" - Acts 22:3-16 

(Paul here gives personal witness.  He will stress he is still faithful to the religion of his fathers: but he has not been able to prevent CHRIST, the LORD, from imposing HIMSELF on him.  Paul will quote Gamaliel [Acts 5:34], and then a Christian Jew very faithful to the law, Ananias.  The crowd listens.  The reaction comes when Paul says that the pagans will share the privileges of the Jews.  The pagans: our enemies, impure people and enemies of GOD!  The same affirmation had been decisive in the condemnation of JESUS [Matthew 21:42].)

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