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1“My fellow Tribal Members, my fathers,” he said, “hear me now as I explain myself to you.”
2When the people heard him speak in their native language, they quieted down even more.
3“I am a fellow Tribal Man, born in Tree Village (Tarsus) in the territory of Turns Over (Cilicia) , but I was raised in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) and was taught at the feet of Creator Has Honored (Gamaliel) . I learned to closely follow all of our traditional tribal laws, and a fire for the Great Spirit burned in my belly, just as it does in yours today.
4“I hunted down and even killed the followers of this Way. I put both men and women in iron chains and took them to prison.
5Our chief holy man and the whole council of elders are witnesses to the truth of what I say. I asked for and received written authority to give to the local Tribal Council in Silent Weaver (Damascus) , with instructions to capture any followers of the Way and take them to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) to be punished.
6“It was midday on the journey to Silent Weaver (Damascus) . As I came near the village, suddenly a bright light from the spirit-world above was shining all around me.
7I fell to the ground and heard a voice speaking to me and twice calling out my name .
“‘Man Who Questions (Saul) , Man Who Questions (Saul) ,’ the voice said, ‘why are you pursuing and mistreating me?’
8“‘Honored One,’ I asked, ‘who are you?’
“‘I am Creator Sets Free (Jesus) from Seed Planter Village (Nazareth) ,’ the voice answered, ‘the one you are pursuing and mistreating.’
9“The men who were traveling with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me.
10“‘Honored One,’ I asked, ‘what is it you want me to do?’
“‘Stand to your feet and go into the village,’ he said to me, ‘and there you will be told all that I want you to do.’
11“Since I was still unable to see because of the bright light, the men with me led me by the hand to Silent Weaver (Damascus) .
12“A man named Creator Shows Kindness (Ananias) , who had deep respect for our tribal law and had a good reputation among our Tribal Members who lived there,
13came and stood beside me.
“‘Man Who Questions (Saul) , my brother,’ he said to me, ‘look up and see again!’
“I looked up, and right then sight returned to my eyes!
14“Then he said to me, ‘The Great Spirit of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Upright One and hear his voice, spoken from his own mouth.
15You will tell all people the truth of what you have seen and heard.
16What are you waiting for? Rise up and participate in the purification ceremony, washing you clean from your broken ways, as you call out to him, trusting in all that his name represents.’[#22:16 Baptism]
17“Sometime later , after I had returned to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) , I was in the sacred lodge sending my voice to the Great Spirit. I fell into a sacred vision
18and saw Creator Sets Free (Jesus) .
“‘You must hurry and leave Village of Peace (Jerusalem) right away,’ he said to me, ‘for they will not believe what you tell them about me.’
19“‘Honored One,’ I said to him, ‘they know that I used to go from one gathering house to another, capturing and whipping the ones who trusted in you.
20When the blood of Many Feathers (Stephen) your truth teller was being shed, they saw that I was standing in agreement and guarding their garments while they killed him.’
21“‘Go!’ he said to me. ‘I am sending you far away to the Outside Nations.’”
22The Tribal Members listened to him, up until this last word.
“Away with this one!” they shouted, “He has no right to even live on this earth!”
23The crowd was wailing out loud! They tore off their outer garments and threw dust into the air.
24The head soldier ordered his men to take Small Man (Paul) back to their lodge with instructions to beat him with whips until he told them the reason the crowd was so angry with him.
25But as they stretched him out and prepared to whip him, Small Man (Paul) turned to the head soldier standing there.
“Does your law permit you to whip a citizen of Village of Iron (Rome) ,” he asked, “without a fair trial?”
26Hearing this, the head soldier reported to his head officer.
“What are you doing?” he asked. “This man is a citizen of the People of Iron (Romans) .”
27The head officer went to Small Man (Paul) .
“Tell me,” he asked, “Are you a citizen of Village of Iron (Romans) ?”
“Yes, I am,” Small Man (Paul) replied.
28“I paid a high price to become a citizen,” the officer said to him.
“But I was born a citizen of Village of Iron (Rome) ,” Small Man (Paul) replied.
29Right away the soldiers who were about to question him backed away. Fear came upon the head officer as he realized that he had bound a citizen of Village of Iron (Rome) in chains.
30But the head officer wanted to know what Small Man (Paul) was being accused of by the Tribal Members, so, before releasing him, he instructed the head holy men and the Grand Council to meet. He then brought in Small Man (Paul) and stood him before them.