"I 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." None could deny the apostle's statements, as the facts that he referred to were well known to many who were still living in Jerusalem. He then spoke of his former zeal in persecuting the disciples of Christ, even unto death; and he narrated the circumstances of his conversion, telling his hearers how his own proud heart had been led to bow to the crucified Nazarene. Had he attempted to enter into argument with his opponents, they would have stubbornly refused to listen to his words; but the relation of his experience was attended with a convincing power that for the time seemed to soften and subdue their hearts.

"Jeg er en jødisk mand, født i Tarsus i Kilikien, men vokset op i denne by; ved Gamaliels fødder er jeg blevet oplært i vor fædrene lov efter al dens strenghed og jeg var nidkær for Gud, sådan som I alle er det i dag." Ingen kunne benægte, hvad apostlen sagde, da de omtalte kendsgerninger var kendt af mange af dem, der stadig boede i Jerusalem. Så fortalte han om sin tidligere iver for at forfølge Kristi disciple, ja, selv til døden; og han berettede om, under hvilke omstændigheder han var blevet omvendt og fortalte sine tilhørere, hvordan hans eget stolte hjerte var kommet til at bøje sig for den korsfæstede nazaræer. Hvis han havde indladt sig på diskussion med sine modstandere, ville de hårdnakket have nægtet at lytte til, hvad han sagde; men hans beretning om sine oplevelser blev fortalt med en overbevisende kraft, som for en stund syntes at mildne og kue deres hjerter.