Acts 9
1 But meanwhile Saul was making violent threats against the disciples of the Lord, wanting to kill them. He went to the high priest
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked for letters of authorization to take with him to the synagogues in Damascus, giving him permission to arrest any believers in the Way that he found, men or women, and bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners.
and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them to Jerusalem as prisoners.
3 As Saul approached Damascus, suddenly he was surrounded by a light that blazed down from heaven.
As he was going along, he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are yoʋ persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,” he replied.
Saul said, “Who are yoʋ, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom yoʋ are persecuting.
6 “Get up, go on into the city, and you'll be told what to do.”
But rise and enter the city, and yoʋ will be told what yoʋ must do.”
7 The men who were traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice speaking, but they didn't see anyone.
The men who were traveling with Saul stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Saul got to his feet, and when he opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything. His companions took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were open, he saw no one. So they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
9 For three days he couldn't see, and he didn't eat or drink anything.
He went three days without seeing, and neither ate nor drank.
10 A follower of Jesus called Ananias lived in Damascus, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision. “Ananias!” he called. “I'm here, Lord,” Ananias responded.
Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He said, “Behold, here I am, Lord.”
11 “Get up, and go to Straight Street,” the Lord told him. “Ask at Judas' house for someone called Saul, from Tarsus. He's praying.
Then the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. For behold, he is praying,
12 He's seen in vision a man called Ananias come and place his hands on him so he can regain his sight.”
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hand on him so that he might receive his sight.”
13 “But Lord,” Ananias replied, “I've heard a lot about this man—about all the evil things he did to the believers in Jerusalem.
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about how much evil this man has done to yoʋr saints in Jerusalem.
14 The chief priests have given him the power to arrest everyone here that worships and follows you.”
And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call upon yoʋr name.”
15 But the Lord told him, “Get on your way, because he is the person I have chosen to take my name to foreigners and kings, as well as to Israel.
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a vessel chosen by me to bring my name before Gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel.
16 I will show him what he'll have to suffer for my name's sake.”
I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.”
17 So Ananias left and went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling here, has sent me so you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
So Ananias went and entered the house. Laying his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to yoʋ on the road by which yoʋ came, has sent me so that yoʋ may receive yoʋr sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized.
Immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he received his sight. Then he rose and was baptized,
19 He also had something to eat and felt stronger. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
and after taking some food, he was strengthened. For several days Saul was with the disciples in Damascus.
20 He immediately started speaking in the synagogues, saying, “Jesus is the Son of God.”
Immediately he began preaching in the synagogues that the Christ is the Son of God.
21 All who heard him were amazed, and asked, “Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble in Jerusalem for those who believed in Jesus? Wasn't he coming here to have the believers arrested and taken in chains to the chief priests?”
All who heard it were amazed and said, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem tried to destroy those who call upon this name, and has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
22 Saul grew more and more confident, proving Jesus was the Messiah so convincingly that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not refute him.
But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this man Jesus is the Christ.
23 Some time later the Jews plotted together to kill him,
When many days had past, the Jews took counsel together to kill him,
24 but Saul learned of their intentions. Day and night they waited by the city gates looking for the chance to murder him.
but their plot became known to Saul. They started watching the gates both day and night so that they might kill him.
25 So during the night his followers took him and lowered him down in a basket from an opening in the city wall.
But the disciples took him by night and let him down through a window in the city wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they were not convinced he was really a disciple.
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they did not believe that he was a disciple.
27 However, Barnabas took him to meet the apostles, and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also explained how in Damascus Saul had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles. He related to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had been preaching boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28 Saul stayed with the apostles and accompanied them all over Jerusalem,
So Saul stayed with them and would go into Jerusalem and speak boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.
29 speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him.
He would also speak and debate with the Hellenists, but they were trying to kill him.
30 When the brothers learned of this they took him to Caesarea, and sent him to Tarsus.
When the brothers found out about it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 During this time the whole church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was left in peace. The church grew strong and increased rapidly in numbers as the believers lived reverently for the Lord, encouraged by the Holy Spirit.
So the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were being strengthened. Continuing in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, they were being multiplied.
32 Peter was traveling around and went to visit the believers who lived in Lydda.
Now as Peter was traveling from place to place, he went down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.
33 There he met a man called Aeneas who was paralyzed and had been confined to his bed for eight years.
There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been confined to a mat for eight years.
34 Peter told him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and pick up your mat!” Immediately Aeneas got up.
Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ has now healed yoʋ; rise and roll up yoʋr mat.” Immediately he rose,
35 Everyone living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and became believers in the Lord.
and all who dwelt in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa lived a follower called Tabitha, (Dorcas in Greek). She was always doing good and helping the poor.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which means “Dorcas”). She was always doing good works and charitable acts.
37 However, about this time she became sick, and died. After washing her body, they laid her out in an upstairs room.
In those days she became sick and died, so they washed her body and laid it in an upper room.
38 Lydda was near Joppa, so the disciples in Joppa, hearing that Peter was in Lydda, sent two men to him with the message, “Please come to us right away.”
Lydda was near Joppa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent for him, urging him not to delay in coming to them.
39 So Peter got ready and left with them. When he arrived they took him upstairs. All the widows were there crying, and they showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
So Peter rose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him to the upper room, and all the widows stood before him, weeping and showing him all the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter told them all to leave, kneeled down, and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
But Peter sent them all outside, knelt down, and prayed. Turning toward the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
41 He took her by the hand and lifted her up. He called in the believers and the widows, and presented her to them alive.
He gave her his hand and raised her up. Then he called in the saints and the widows and presented her alive.
42 The news spread through the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 Peter spent a long time in Joppa, staying at the house of Simon the tanner.
And Peter remained in Joppa for many days with a tanner named Simon.
