7 [22:11]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. [22:12]And a certain Ananias, a man [living] according to the law, approved by all the Jews living [there], [22:13]coming and standing by, said to me, Brother Saul, Receive your sight. And in that hour I looked upon him. [22:14]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, [22:15]for you shall be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. [22:16]And now, why do you delay? Arising, baptize and wash away your sins, calling on his name. 8 [22:17]And when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I was in a trance, [22:18]and saw him [Christ], saying to me, Hasten and depart immediately from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony of me. [22:19]And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in the synagogues those who believed on you; [22:20]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. [22:21]And he said to me, Go, for I will send you to nations far away. 9 [22:22]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. [22:23] And as they cried and rent their clothes and cast dust in the air, [22:24]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. [22:25]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? [22:26]And the centurion hearing this, went and told the chiliarch, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman. [22:27] And the chiliarch came to him and said, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes. [22:28]And the chiliarch answered, I acquired this citizenship for a great price. But Paul said, I am indeed, and was also born [one]. [22:29]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. CHAPTER XXI. PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIM, AND SENT TO CAESAREA FOR SAFE KEEPING.--A.D. 59.