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A:This was a technique that the author of the two books, Luke's Gospel and Acts of the Apostles, frequently used. He realised that repetition of a theme helped people remember the account, and that by repeating the theme three times in different contexts he could build belief in his story.

In each account there was a blinding light, which appeared only to Paul in the version at Acts 9:3-8 and probably at Acts 26.13-19, but appeared to both Paul and his men at Acts 22:6-11 (although only Paul was blinded). Paul alone heard a voice from heaven at Acts 22:6-11 and probably at Acts 26.13-19, but both Paul and his men heard the voice at Acts 9:3-8. Each of these stories says that the voice from heaven said it was Jesus, and from this one could believe that Paul did accept that it was really Jesus.

The three accounts of this event actually appear to have been based on the ancient play of Euripedes called the Bacchae. This alone would be enough to cast serious doubts on these stories of Paul's conversion, and explain the need to create belief in them.

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