² and asked him to write letters to the synagogues in the city of Damascus [^Cin Syria, 135 miles north of Jerusalem]. Then if Saul found any ·followers of Christ’s Way [or who belonged to the Way; ^Ca name for the Christian movement], men or women, he would ·arrest [take them prisoner; ^Lbind] them and bring them back to Jerusalem.

³ So Saul headed toward Damascus. As he came near the city, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him [^Cin the OT lightning sometimes signaled the appearance of God; Ex. 19:16]. ⁴ Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”