9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
9:2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
9:3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
9:5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
9:6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
9:7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
9:8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9:9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
9:10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
9:11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
9:12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
9:13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
9:14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
9:16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord–Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here–has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
9:18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
9:19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
9:20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
9:21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
9:22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
9:23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,
9:24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
9:25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
9:26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
9:27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
9:28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
9:29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
9:30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
9:32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
9:33 There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.
9:34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.
9:35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
9:37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.
9:38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
9:39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.
9:41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.
9:42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
9:43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
9:1 But Saul, still breathing threatening and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
9:2 And asked for letters from him to Damascus for the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
9:3 And as he went, he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
9:4 And he fell on the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?
9:5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.
9:6 But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.
9:7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
9:8 And Saul rose from the ground; and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. And they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9:9 And he was three days without seeing, and he neither ate nor drank.
9:10 And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
9:11 And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go to the lane called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas a man from Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying;
9:12 And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he may receive his sight.
9:13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem;
9:14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Your name.
9:15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before both the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer on behalf of My name.
9:17 And Ananias went away and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him, he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me ? Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming ? so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight and rose up and was baptized.
9:19 And once he had taken food, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days.
9:20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, that this One is the Son of God.
9:21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the one who ravaged those who call upon this name in Jerusalem and came here for this, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests?
9:22 But Saul was all the more empowered, and he confounded the Jews dwelling in Damascus by proving that this One is the Christ.
9:23 And as a considerable number of days were being fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to do away with him;
9:24 But their plot was made known to Saul. And they also watched the gates closely, both day and night, so that they might do away with him.
9:25 But his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
9:26 And when he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; yet all feared him, not believing that he was a disciple.
9:27 But Barnabas took hold of him and led him to the apostles, and he related to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
9:28 And he was with them, going in and going out in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
9:29 And he spoke and disputed with the Hellenists, but they attempted to do away with him.
9:30 But when the brothers realized it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.
9:31 So then the church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it was multiplied.
9:32 Now as Peter was passing through all those parts, he came down also to the saints dwelling at Lydda.
9:33 And he found there a certain man named Aeneas, who for eight years had been lying on a mat, for he was paralyzed.
9:34 And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and make up your own bed. And immediately he rose up.
9:35 And all those dwelling in Lydda and Sharon saw him; and they turned to the Lord.
9:36 Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas); this woman was full of good works and alms which she did.
9:37 And in those days she became ill and died; and they bathed her body and laid it in an upper room.
9:38 Now because Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there, and they sent two men to him, entreating him, Do not delay to come through to us.
9:39 And Peter rose up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him up into the upper room. And all the widows stood by him, weeping and showing him tunics and garments, all of which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
9:40 And Peter put them all outside; and kneeling down, he prayed; and he turned to the body and said, Tabitha, rise up. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
9:41 And giving her his hand, he raised her up. And when he had called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
9:42 And it became known throughout all of Joppa and many believed on the Lord.
9:43 And he remained a considerable number of days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.