From Biblical sources

[Paul's origin and upbringing] Acts 22:3

22 • 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in this city [Jerusalem] where I was educated in the school of Gamaliel, according to the strict observance of our Law. And I was dedicated to God’s service, as are all of you today. 4 As for this way, I persecuted it to the point of death and arrested its followers, both men and women, throwing them into prison. [see below for a more complete rendition of Acts 22]

Philippians 3:5-6

 3 • 5 I was circumcised when eight days old. I was born of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; I am a Hebrew, born of Hebrews. With regard to the Law, I am a Pharisee, 6 and such was my zeal for the Law that I persecuted the Church. As for being righteous according to the Law, I was blameless.

[Saul on the road to Damascus] Acts 9:1-30

9 • 1 Meanwhile Saul considered nothing but violence and death for the disciples of the Lord. 2 He went to the High Priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus that would authorize him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem anyone he might find, man or woman, belonging to the Way.
3 As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?” 5 And he asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus whom you persecute. 6 Now get up and go into the city; there you will be told what you are to do.”
7 The men who were traveling with him stood there speechless: they had heard the sound, but could see no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground and, opening his eyes, he could not see. They took him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. 9 He was blind and he did not eat or drink for three days.
10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, to whom the Lord called in a vision, “Ananias!” He answered, “Here I am, Lord!” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Go at once to Straight Street and ask, at the house of Judas, for a man of Tarsus named Saul. You will find him praying, 12 for he has just seen in a vision that a man named Ananias has come in and placed his hands upon him, to restore his sight.”
13 Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, 14 and now he is here with authority from the High Priest to arrest all who call upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to bring my name to the pagan nations and their kings, and the people of Israel as well. 16 I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer for my name.”
17 So Ananias left and went to the house. He laid his hands upon Saul and said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me to you so that you may receive your sight and be filled with Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see; he got up and was baptized. 19 Then he took food and was strengthened.
• For several days Saul stayed with the disciples at Damascus, 20 and he soon began to proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. 21 All who heard were astonished and said, “Is this not the one who cast out in Jerusalem all those calling upon this Name? Did he not come here to bring them bound before the chief priests?”
22 But Saul grew more and more powerful, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus when he proved that Jesus was the Messiah.
23 After a fairly long time, the Jews conspired together to kill him. 24 But Saul became aware of their plan: Day and night they kept watch at the city gate in order to kill him. 25 So his disciples took him one night and let him down from the top of the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples there, but they were afraid of him because they could not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He recounted to them how Saul had seen the Lord on his way and the words the Lord had spoken to him. He told them also how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28 Then Saul began to live with them. He moved about freely in Jerusalem and preached openly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they wanted to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

[Paul addresses the Jews] Acts 22:1-21

22 •  1 "My brothers and fathers, listen to what I am about to say to you in my defense."
2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew they became all the more quiet. And he continued
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in this city [Jerusalem] where I was educated in the school of Gamaliel, according to the strict observance of our Law. And I was dedicated to God’s service, as are all of you today. 4 As for this way, I persecuted it to the point of death and arrested its followers, both men and women, throwing them into prison.
5 The High Priest and the whole Council of elders can bear witness to this. From them I received letters for the Jewish brothers in Damascus and I set out to arrest those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. 6 But as I was traveling along, nearing Damascus, at about noon a great light from the sky suddenly flashed about me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 8 I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Jesus the Nazarean whom you persecute.’ 9 The men who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 I asked: ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord replied: ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told all that you are destined to do.’ 11 Yet the brightness of that light had blinded me and so I was led by the hand into Damascus by my companions.
12 There a certain Ananias came to me. He was a devout observer of the Law and well spoken of by all the Jews who were living there. 13 As he stood by me, he said: ‘Brother Saul, recover your sight.’ At that moment I could see and I looked at him. 14 He then said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear the words from his mouth. 15 From now on you shall be his witness before all the pagan peoples and tell them all that you have seen and heard. 16 And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by calling upon his Name.’
17 On my return to Jerusalem I was praying in the Temple, when I fell into a trance 18 and saw him. He spoke to me: ‘Get ready to leave Jerusalem without delay, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 I answered: ‘Lord, they know well that I imprisoned those who believed in you and had them beaten in every synagogue, 20 and while the blood of your witness Stephen was being poured out, I stood by and approved it and even guarded the cloaks of his murderers.’ 21 Then he said to me: ‘Go, for I am sending you far away to the pagan nations.’”

[Paul's speech before King Agrippa] Acts 26:4-18

26 • [1 Agrippa said to Paul: “You may speak in your own defense.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began in this way:
2 “King Agrippa, you have just heard about the accusations of the Jews. I consider myself fortunate in having the opportunity to defend myself against all this before you today, 3 for you are an expert in the customs of the Jews and their disputes. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.]

4 All the Jews know how I have lived from my youth, how I have lived among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have always known me and they can tell you, if they wish, that I have lived as a Pharisee in the most rigorous sect of our religion. 6 If I am now tried here, it is because of the hope I have in the promise made by God to our ancestors. 7 The hope of attaining this promise is behind the fervent worship that our twelve tribes render to God night and day. Yet now, O king, the Jews accuse me for this hope! 8 But why refuse to believe that God raises the dead?
9 I myself in the beginning thought that I had to use all possible means to counteract the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I did in Jerusalem and, with the authorization of the chief priests, I put in prison many who believed; and I cast my vote when they were condemned to death.
11 I went round the synagogues and multiplied punishments against them to force them to renounce their faith; such was my rage against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12 With this purpose in mind I went to Damascus with full authority and commissioned by the chief priests. 13 On the way, O King, at midday I saw a light from heaven, more brilliant than the sun, that dazzled me and those who accompanied me. 14 We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? In vain do you kick against the goad.’
15 I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said: ‘I am Jesus whom you persecute. 16 Get up now and stand on your feet. I have revealed myself to you to make you servant and witness to what I have just shown you and to what I will show you later on. 17 I will rescue you from all evil that may come from your own people or from the pagans to whom I am sending you. 18 For you shall open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; and, through faith in me, may obtain forgiveness of their sins and a place among those who are sanctified.’
[19 Since that time, King Agrippa, I did not stray from this heavenly vision; 20 on the contrary, I began preaching first to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and throughout Judea, and then to the pagan nations, that they should repent and turn to God, showing the fruits of true conversion. 21 I was carrying out this mission when the Jews arrested me in the Temple and tried to kill me. But with the help of God, I still stand here today to give my testimony both to the great and the small.
22 I do not teach anything other than what Moses and the Prophets announced beforehand: 23 the Messiah had to die, and after being the first to be raised from the dead, he would proclaim the light to his people as well as to all nations.”]

[Paul teaches what he received from God] Galatians 1:13-17

1• 11 Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel we preached to you is not a human message, 12 nor did I receive it from anyone, I was not taught of it but it came to me as a revelation from Christ Jesus. 13 You have heard of my previous activity in the Jewish community; I furiously persecuted the Church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 For I was more devoted to the Jewish religion than many fellow Jews of my age, and I defended the traditions of my ancestors more fanatically.
15 But one day God called me out of his great love, he who had chosen me from my mother's womb; and he was pleased 16 to reveal in me his Son, that I might make him known among the pagan nations. Then I did not seek human advice 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. I immediately went to Arabia, and from there I returned again to Damascus.

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