² When they heard that he was addressing them in Aramaic,^[a] they became even quieter.^{(A) 3} He^(B) continued, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel^(C) according to the strictness of our ancestral law. I was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.^{(D) 4} I persecuted this Way^(E) to the death, arresting and putting both men and women in jail,^{(F) 5} as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to arrest those who were there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.^(G)

⁹ In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(A) 10} I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them.^{(B) 11} In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme.^(C) Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles,^(A) not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(B) the church of God.

¹³ For you have heard about my former way of life^(A) in Judaism:^(B) I intensely persecuted^(C) God’s church and tried to destroy it.

¹³ even though I was formerly a blasphemer,^(A) a persecutor,^(B) and an arrogant man.^(C) But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,