4 I made trouble for everyone who followed the Lord's Way, and I even had some of them killed. I had others arrested and put in jail. I didn't care if they were men or women.
5 The high priest and all the council members can tell you this is true. They even gave me letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, so that I could arrest people there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 One day about noon I was getting close to Damascus, when a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me?”
8 “Who are you?” I answered.The Lord replied, “I am Jesus from Nazareth! I am the one you are so cruel to.”
9 Those who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice.
10 I asked, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”Then he told me, “Get up and go to Damascus. When you get there, you will be told what to do.”