1Yo fam, listen up! I’m about to drop my defense for y’all right now.

2When they peeped that I was speaking in Hebrew, they got super quiet, and I was like,

3I’m a straight-up Jew, born in Tarsus, but raised in this city under Gamaliel, schooled in the law, and I’m all in for God, just like you are today.

4I was out here going hard against this way, throwing both dudes and ladies in jail, no cap.

5The high priest can back me up on this, and all the elders know: I got letters to go to the bros in Damascus to bring them back to Jerusalem for some serious punishment.

6So, I’m on my way to Damascus around noon, and boom! A massive light shines down from heaven all around me.

7I hit the ground and heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why you trippin’ on me?”

8I was like, “Who are you, Lord?” And He said, “I’m Jesus from Nazareth, the one you’re coming for.”

9The peeps with me totally saw the light and got shook, but they didn’t hear the voice talking to me.

10I was like, “What’s the move, Lord?” And He said, “Get up and head to Damascus; they’ll fill you in on what you gotta do.”

11When I couldn't see 'cause that light was too lit, my crew led me to Damascus.

12So this dude Ananias, a total vibe check kinda guy, had mad respect from all the Jews there,

13Came up to me and was like, "Yo, Brother Saul, get your sight back." And in that moment, I looked at him, no cap.

14He said, "The God of our fam picked you to know His will, see the Just One, and hear His voice, fr."

15"You’re gonna be His witness to all peeps about what you’ve seen and heard."

16"So why you chillin’? Get up, get baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the Lord’s name."

17Then, when I bounced back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I got hit with a trance;

18I saw Him saying, "Hurry up, dip outta Jerusalem quick: they ain't gonna vibe with your testimony about me."

19I was like, "Lord, they know I was out here locking up and beating everyone who believed in you."

20"And when they took out your homie Stephen, I was right there, cosigning his death and holding the drip of those who did him dirty."

21He was like, "Bounce, I’m sending you far away to the Gentiles. No cap."

22They were vibing with his words, then they straight up yelled, "Get this dude outta here, he doesn’t deserve to live!"

23As they were screaming, they tossed their clothes off and threw dust in the air, totally dramatic.

24The chief captain was like, "Bring him to the castle and let’s get him whipped to find out why they’re wildin’."

25While they were tying him up, Paul asked the centurion, "Is it cool to whip a Roman who hasn’t even been judged?"

26The centurion heard that and went to the chief captain, saying, "Yo, be careful; this dude’s a Roman."

27Then the chief captain came over and asked, "Are you a Roman?" Paul was like, "Yup."

28The chief captain replied, "I had to pay a lot for my freedom." Paul said, "I was born free, no cap."

29Right then, everyone who was supposed to question him bounced, and the chief captain got shook after realizing he was a Roman and that he had tied him up.

30The next day, wanting to figure out why the Jews were accusing him, he let Paul go from his chains and told the chief priests and their crew to show up, then brought Paul down to face them.

1Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

2(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)

3I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

4And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

5As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

6And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

7And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

8And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

9And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

10And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

11And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

12And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

13Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

14And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

15For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

16And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

17And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;

18And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

19And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

20And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

21And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

22And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

23And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

24The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.

25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

27Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

28And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

29Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

30On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.