³ When Saul had almost reached Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul! Saul! Why are you so cruel to me?”

⁵ “Who are you?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus,” the Lord answered. “I am the one you are so cruel to. ⁶ Now get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do.”

^6 (A) 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.”

¹³ About noon I saw a light brighter than the sun. It flashed from heaven on me and on everyone traveling with me. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice say to me in Aramaic,^[a] “Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me? It's foolish to fight against me!”

¹⁵ “Who are you?” I asked.

Then the Lord answered, “I am Jesus! I am the one you are so cruel to. ¹⁶ Now stand up. I have appeared to you, because I have chosen you to be my servant. You are to tell others what you have learned about me and what I will show you later.”

¹⁷ The Lord also said, “I will protect you from the Jews and from the Gentiles that I am sending you to. ¹⁸ I want you to open their eyes, so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God's holy people.”