The Conversion of Saul

The Conversion of Saul
This is an edited piece from Acts 9, 22, &26. I simply tried to use words straight from the NASB, changing only “he” to “I” in order for this to be read as Pauls’ personal testimony. Words in ALL CAPS are my insertions and do not change the meaning of the text other references duly noted.( Ed Smith).
"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you. I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
If anyone has confidence, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal,a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found )blameless (Phil.3:4-6). And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions (Gal 1:14).
I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. AND WHILE, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, I went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if I found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, I might bring them bound as prisoners to Jerusalem.
And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. I was in hearty agreement with putting STEPHEN to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But I began ravaging the church, entering house after house, dragging off men and women, and put them in prison (Acts 8:1-3).
And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.”
SCENE II
“AND THEN it happened; as I was approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light from heaven, brighter than the sun suddenly flashed from heaven all around me and those who were journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
And I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
Trembling and astonished, I said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.'
The men who traveled with ME stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. I got up from the ground, and though MY eyes were open, I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. Three days without sight, and I neither ate nor drank.
SCENE III
"A certain disciple, who lived at Damascus named Ananias, was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews there. And the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias’ And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.’
But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.’
So Ananias came to me, and standing near laying his hands on ME said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Brother Saul, receive your sight!'
And immediately there fell from MY eyes something like scales, and I regained sight, at that very time I looked up at him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. AS THE LORD SAID “for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me. Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’ And I was baptized, took food and was strengthened.


SCENE IV
"It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.' And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.’And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.' "And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

The Training of Saul
Paul had ten years training for his work. He studied in Arabia, Damascus, Syria, Jerusalem, and Celicia.
Galatians 1
“But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy."