² When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,^(A) they became very quiet.

Then Paul said: ³ “I am a Jew,^(B) born in Tarsus^(C) of Cilicia,^(D) but brought up in this city. I studied under^(E) Gamaliel^(F) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.^(G) I was just as zealous^(H) for God as any of you are today. ⁴ I persecuted^(I) the followers of this Way^(J) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,^{(K) 5} as the high priest and all the Council^(L) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates^(M) in Damascus,^(N) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁹ “I too was convinced^(A) that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose^(B) the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{(C) 10} And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people^(D) in prison,^(E) and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^{(F) 11} Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,^(G) and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

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

¹³ For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,^(A) how intensely I persecuted the church of God^(B) and tried to destroy it.^(C)

¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor^(A) and a violent man, I was shown mercy^(B) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.^(C)

¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,^(A)