n the door, but ran
in, and told that Peter was standing outside. They said to her, "You are
out of your mind." But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is
his angel." But Peter kept on knocking: and when they opened the door
and saw him, they were amazed. But he motioned to them with the hand to
be silent, and told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And
he said, "Go and tell James and the other brothers." Then he left the
house and went to another place. Now as soon as it was morning, there
was great excitement among the soldiers, as to what had become of Peter.
After Herod had searched for him, and had failed to find him, he
questioned the guards, and commanded that they should be executed.

PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS

I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was brought up in
Jerusalem, educated as a disciple of Gamaliel in the strict way laid
down in the laws received from our fathers, and devoted to God, as you
all are.

You know what I did in the past among the Jews. You know how bitterly I
persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it and how in my zeal
for the laws and customs handed down from my forefathers I did more than
any of my fellow countrymen. I indeed believed that it was my duty to do
all in my power to oppose the cause of Jesus of Nazareth. This I did in
Jerusalem. With authority from the high priests, I put many of Jesus'
followers in prison. When they were put to death, I voted against them.
In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them speak
against the name of Jesus, and in my insane fury I followed them even to
distant cities.

When I was travelling to Damascus on this business, with written
authority from the high priests, I saw, on the road in the middle of the
day, a light from heaven, more dazzling than the glare of the sun,
shining around me and those who were travelling with me. We fell to the
ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, "Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." I asked,
"Who art thou, Lord?" and the Lord answered, "I am Jesus whom you are
persecuting. Rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you to
appoint you to be my servant and a witness to what you have seen and to
the things that I will show you. I chose you from the Jews and the other
peoples to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, that they may turn
from darkn