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The Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of the Holy Ghost
CHAPTER 8

Saint Paul's Conversion

                And at that time there was raised a great persecution against the Church which was at
Jerusalem, and they
                            were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the Apostles. And beyond
                            measure, Saul persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it. [This same Saul had] stood by and
                            consented, when the blood of Stephen was shed, and kept the garments of them that killed him.

                            And he cast into prison, and beat in every synagogue, them that believed in Jesus. And entering in
                            from house to house, and binding and dragging away both men and women, [he]* shut up in prison
                            many of the saints. And when they were put to death, [he] brought the sentence. And oftentimes
punishing them, in every synagogue, [he] compelled them to blaspheme.

                                And being yet more mad against them, [he] persecuted them even unto foreign cities, breathing out
                            threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. And he went to the high priest, and
                                    asked of him letters to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any men and women of this way,
he might bring them bound from thence to Jerusalem to be punished.

                            And as he went on his journey, at midday a light from Heaven above the brightness of the sun
                                    shined suddenly round about [him], and them that were in company with [him]. And when [they] were
                                all fallen down on the ground, [he] heard a voice speaking to [him] in the Hebrew tongue, saying:
                                    "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goad." And [he] said:
"Who art Thou, Lord?"

And the Lord answered: "I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest." And he trembling and astonished, said:
"Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" And the Lord said to him: 'Arise, and stand upon thy

 Editor's Note : First person references from St Paul's own account of his vision have been
changed to the third person, in order to read continuously with St. Luke's narrative in the Acts.