Acts 22:2-5

Paul was a devout Jew to the point of gathering and incarcerating those who followed Christ. Not unlike the Catholic Church who in their zeal persecuted those who did not follow Christ. According to Scripture It was too small a thing that Christ died for only the Jewish converts. Paul sought out the Gentiles according to the promises of God that salvation would come to the world through Jesus Christ. 

There is no division now in the Body of Christ… all who believe belong!

When the people heard him speaking to them in their own language they were reminded that Paul was not a Gentile but a Jew like themselves. Therefore, they listened to what he had to say. Paul explained to the crowd that he understood why they were beating him and wanted him dead. They were zealous for God. Paul was not blaming them for what they had done to him. He pointed out that in his former zeal he would have done the same thing. Paul showed compassion even to his attackers; we should model that same type of compassion for all people who have not yet placed their faith in Jesus. NKJV Study Bible

Acts 22:2–5 (NKJV)

² And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.

Then he said: ³ “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, ⁵ as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

³⁴ Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 

Acts 5:34

⁵ They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 

Acts 26:5

²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; 

Acts 21:20

¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1 Timothy 1:13