³⁶ And ^[a]Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of ^[b]Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,

^3 (A)As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ^(B)why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ^[a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

⁶ So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Saul Preaches Christ

²⁰ Immediately he preached ^[a]the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

²² But Saul increased all the more in strength, ^(A)and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.