Acts 9
1 And Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest,
2 And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues: that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
and asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorising him, if he found there any supporters of the Cause, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.
3 And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew nigh to Damascus; and suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him.
While on his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, suddenly a light from the heavens flashed around him.
4 And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him — “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
“Who are you, Lord?” he asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the voice answered;
6 And he trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
“Yet stand up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him, stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man.
The men traveling with Saul were meanwhile standing speechless; they heard the sound of the voice, but saw no one.
8 And Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.
When Saul got up from the ground, though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So his men led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus;
9 And he was there three days, without sight, and he did neither eat nor drink.
and for three days he was unable to see, and took nothing either to eat or to drink.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. And he said: Behold I am here, Lord.
Now there was at Damascus a disciple named Ananias, to whom, in a vision, the Lord said: “Ananias.” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is called Stait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold he prayeth.
“Go at once,” said the Lord, “to the ‘Straight Street’, and ask at Judas’s house for a man named Saul, from Tarsus. He is at this moment praying,
12 (And he saw a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.)
and he has seen, in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him, so that he may recover his sight.”
13 But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem.
“Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I have heard from many people about this man — how much harm he has done at Jerusalem to your People there.
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that invoke thy name.
And, here, too, he holds authority from the Chief Priests to put in chains all those who invoke your Name.”
15 And the Lord said to him: Go thy way; for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.
But the Lord said to him: “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to uphold my Name before the Gentiles and their kings, and the people of Israel.
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
I will myself show him all that he has to suffer for my Name.”
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
So Ananias went, entered the house, and, placing his hands on Saul, said: “Saul, my Brother, I have been sent by the Lord — by Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here — so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and rising up, he was baptized.
Instantly it seemed as if a film fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,
19 And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples that were at Damascus, for some days.
and, after he had taken food, he felt his strength return. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples who were at Damascus,
20 And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
and at once began in the Synagogues to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God.
21 And all that heard him, were astonished, and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name: and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests?
All who heard him were amazed. “Is not this,” they asked, “the man who worked havoc in Jerusalem among those that invoke this Name, and who had also come here for the express purpose of having such persons put in chains and taken before the Chief Priests?”
22 But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ.
Saul’s influence, however, kept steadily increasing, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by the proofs that he gave that Jesus was the Christ.
23 And when many days were passed, the Jews consulted together to kill him.
After some time the Jews laid a plot to kill Saul,
24 But their laying in wait was made known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night, that they might kill him.
but it became known to him. They even watched the gates day and night, to kill him;
25 But the disciples taking him in the night, conveyed him away by the wall, letting him down in a basket.
but his disciples let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when he was come into Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to the disciples; and they all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
On his arrival in Jerusalem, Saul attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was really a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and told them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him; and how in Damascus he had dealt confidently in the name of Jesus.
Barnabas, however, taking him by the hand, brought him to the Apostles, and told them the whole story of how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord, and how the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out fearlessly in the Name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them coming in and going out in Jerusalem, and dealing confidently in the name of the Lord.
After that, Saul remained in Jerusalem, in close intercourse with the Apostles; and he spoke fearlessly in the Name of the Lord,
29 He spoke also to the Gentiles, and disputed with the Greeks; but they sought to kill him.
talking and arguing with the Jews of foreign birth, who, however, made attempts to kill him.
30 Which when the brethren had known, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus.
But, when the Brethren found this out, they took him down to Caesarea, and sent him on his way to Tarsus.
31 Now the church had peace throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria; and was edified, walking in the fear of the Lord, and was filled with the consolation of the Holy Ghost.
And so it came about that the Church, throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, enjoyed peace and became firmly established; and, ordering its life by reverence for the Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
32 And it came to pass that Peter, as he passed through, visiting all, came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda.
Peter, while traveling from place to place throughout the country, went down to visit the People of Christ living at Lydda.
33 And he found there a certain man named Eneas, who had kept his bed for eight years, who was ill of the palsy.
There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bed-ridden for eight years with paralysis.
34 And Peter said to him: Eneas, the Lord Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And immediately he arose.
“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ cures you. Get up, and make your bed.” Aeneas got up at once;
35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron, saw him: who were converted to the Lord.
and all the inhabitants of Lydda and of the Plain of Sharon saw him, and came over to the Lord’s side.
36 And in Joppe there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
At Jaffa there lived a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which is in Greek ‘Dorcas’ — a Gazelle. Her life was spent in doing kind and charitable actions.
37 And it came to pass in those days that she was sick, and died. Whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
Just at that time she was taken ill, and died; and they had washed her body and laid it out in an upstairs room.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppe, the disciples hearing that Peter was there, sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not be slack to come unto them.
Jaffa was near Lydda, and the disciples, having heard that Peter was at Lydda, sent two men with the request that he would come on to them without delay.
39 And Peter rising up, went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber. And all the widows stood about him weeping, and shewing him the coats and garments which Dorcas made them.
Peter returned with them at once. On his arrival, he was taken upstairs, and all the widows came round him in tears, showing the coats and other clothing which Dorcas had made while she was among them.
40 And they all being put forth, Peter kneeling down prayed, and turning to the body, he said: Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and seeing Peter, she sat up.
But Peter sent everybody out of the room, and knelt down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha! stand up.” She opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.
41 And giving her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.
Giving her his hand, Peter raised her up, and, calling in the widows and others of Christ’s People, presented her to them alive.
42 And it was made known throughout all Joppe; and many believed in the Lord.
This became known all through Jaffa, and numbers of People came to believe in the Lord.
43 And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppe, with one Simon a tanner.
And Peter stayed some days at Jaffa with a tanner named Simon.
