Acts 22: 1-16 Paul Shares His Testimony In His Defense To The Jews

“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.  I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,  as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.“But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’  And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.  And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’  But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.“A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.  For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.  Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

Once Paul appeared with gentiles at the ceremony of purification, the Judaizers desired to have Paul's life.
Paul pleaded to the soldiers to allow him to speak to the crowds.  There he declared that he is not against them, for he is an educated Jew, an expert in the Law.  He goes on to tell them of his revelation before Jesus of Nazareth.  He explains the power of the Risen Christ and the mission Christ gives him.  But the Judaizers heart was hard and did not accept either the Jews or the gospel and Paul escaped narrowly with his life.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, we are a people with hardened hearts, hearts hardened by sin and self-contentedness
Bring us back to You, Lord Jesus.  Send Your Helper, the Spirit of Truth to convince and convict us of our sins and lead us in repentance.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.