Acts 22 in the early church

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.

I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.

Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance

and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”

But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”

“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.