"I ama Jew,bornin Tarsusof Cilicia,but broughtup in thiscity,educatedunderGamaliel,strictlyaccordingto the lawof our fathers,beingzealousfor Godjustas you allare today.
So the kingcalledthe Gibeonitesand spoketo them (now the Gibeoniteswere not of the sonsof Israelbut of the remnantof the Amorites,and the sonsof Israelmadea covenantwith them, but Saulhad soughtto killthem in his zealfor the sonsof Israeland Judah).
When Elishareturnedto Gilgal,[there was] a faminein the land.As the sonsof the prophetswere sittingbeforehim, he saidto his servant,"Puton the largepotand boilstewfor the sonsof the prophets."
She hada sistercalledMary,whowas seatedat the Lord'sfeet,listeningto His word.
Then,afterthreedaysthey foundHim in the temple,sittingin the midstof the teachers,bothlisteningto them and asking them questions.
[The people] wentout to seewhat had happened;and they cameto Jesus,and foundthe manfrom whomthe demonshad goneout, sitting downat the feetof Jesus,clothedand in his right mind;and they became frightened.
And he leftfor Tarsusto lookfor Saul;
and they sent this letterby them, "The apostlesand the brethrenwho are elders,to the brethrenin Antiochand Syriaand Ciliciawhoare from the Gentiles,greetings.
And he was traveling throughSyriaand Cilicia,strengtheningthe churches.
And when they heardit they [began] glorifyingGod;and they saidto him, "You see,brother,how manythousandsthere are amongthe Jewsof thosewho have believed,and they are allzealousfor the Law;
But Paulsaid,"I ama Jewof Tarsusin Cilicia,a citizenof noinsignificantcity;and I begyou, allowme to speakto the people."
When he had readit, he askedfrom whatprovincehe was, and when he learnedthat he was from Cilicia,
But perceivingthat onegroupwere Sadduceesand the otherPharisees,Paul[began] cryingout in the Council,"Brethren,I ama Pharisee,a sonof Pharisees;I am on trialfor the hopeand resurrectionof the dead!"
since they have knownabout me for a long time,ifthey are willingto testify,that I lived[as] a Phariseeaccordingto the strictestsectof our religion.
"So then,I thoughtto myselfthat I hadto domany thingshostileto the nameof Jesusof Nazareth.
But a PhariseenamedGamaliel,a teacher of the Law,respectedby allthe people,stoodup in the Counciland gave ordersto putthe menoutsidefor a short time.
But some menfrom what was calledthe Synagogueof the Freedmen,[including] bothCyreniansand Alexandrians,and somefrom Ciliciaand Asia,roseup and arguedwith Stephen.
NowSaul,stillbreathingthreatsand murderagainstthe disciplesof the Lord,wentto the high priest,
And the Lord[said] to him, "Getup and goto the streetcalledStraight,and inquireat the houseof Judasfor a man from TarsusnamedSaul,for he is praying,
But when the brethrenlearned[of it], they brought him downto Caesareaand sent him awayto Tarsus.
I saythen,Godhas not rejectedHis people,has He? May it neverbe! For I tooaman Israelite,a descendantof Abraham,of the tribeof Benjamin.
Are they Hebrews?Soam I. Are they Israelites?Soam I. Are they descendantsof Abraham?Soam I.
and I was advancingin Judaismbeyondmanyof my contemporariesamongmy countrymen,beingmore extremelyzealousfor my ancestraltraditions.
ThenI wentinto the regionsof Syriaand Cilicia.
"Indeed,He lovesthe people;AllYour holyonesare in Your hand,And they followedin Your steps;[Everyone] receivesof Your words.
