Paul spoke his defense when arrested at the temple in Jerusalem in Hebrew. He is a Jew from Tarsus, educated by Gamiliel, and persecuted the Way. On the way to persecute the church in Damascus he fell to the ground at a great light and heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” It was Jesus. Paul was led blind to Damascus. Ananias helped him and told him he would be a witness for Jesus to everyone, and called him to be baptized. God sent him to the Gentiles. The Jews told them to take Paul away. They were about to flog Paul when he mentioned he was a Roman citizen. They stopped because this was no way to treat a Roman citizen. The next day he was unbound and was set before the Jews to find out why he was being accused.
Paul recounts his conversion as his defense. He also claims his right as a Roman citizen to lessen the severity of how he was being treated. It is important that as Christians we be ready to suffer for our union with Christ. That said, it’s not unwise or unfaithful to appeal to the laws of a nation for defense in the face of violence. May Christ be glorified as we suffer because we are Christians, and let us use every benefit of law to extend our lives of spending and being spent for the sake of the gospel.