¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem^(A) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance^{(B) 18} and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

¹⁹ “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison^(C) and beat^(D) those who believe in you. ²⁰ And when the blood of your martyr^[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’^(E)

²⁰ First to those in Damascus,^(A) then to those in Jerusalem^(B) and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,^(C) I preached that they should repent^(D) and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.^(E)

¹⁷ I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.^(A)

¹⁸ Then after three years,^(A) I went up to Jerusalem^(B) to get acquainted with Cephas^[a] and stayed with him fifteen days.