I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me

and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice

speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, why persecuteest thou me? It is hard for

thee to kick against the pricks.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Scripture Central, and today's podcast addresses the question.

Why are there different accounts of Paul's conversion?

One of the most important events in the Book of Acts is the dramatic vision Saul received

as he was on the road to

Damascus. This event shaped Paul's life and ministry, and he would refer constantly to his vision

in his public defenses and epistles throughout the New Testament. Similar to Paul, Joseph Smith had a

dramatic vision in 1820 that shaped the rest of his life, and, like Paul,

he was persecuted for telling others about his vision. The persecution against Paul, for example,

happened almost as immediately as he began to preach the gospel, to the point that many Jews in

Damascus now took counsel to kill him, requiring Saul to escape

the city by being let down by the wall in a blanket. Joseph Smith similarly reported that a spirit

of the most bitter persecution and reviling overtook many of the religious leaders of his day

who had learned about his vision. So similar

were the two men's lives that Joseph Smith found solace in comparing his vision and experiences

with those of Paul. I felt much like Paul when he made his defense before King Agrippa

and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard a voice.

But still, there were but few who believed him.

Some said he was dishonest.

...