3 Now as he was traveling and getting near Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,+ 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 He asked: “Who are you, Lord?” He said: “I am Jesus,+ whom you are persecuting.+ 6 But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 Now the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing, indeed, the sound of a voice but seeing no one.+ 8 Saul then got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

13 I saw at midday on the road, O King, a light beyond the brilliance of the sun flash from heaven around me and around those traveling with me.+ 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice say to me in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? To keep kicking against the goads* makes it hard for you.’ 15 But I said: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.