Acts 9
1 But Saul, still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, having come to the high priest,
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest,
2 asked from him letters to Damascus against the synagogues, in order that if he should find any being of the way, both men and women, he might lead 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 it came to pass, while prosecuting the journey he drew near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around 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 do you persecute me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord?
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him — “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
“Who are you, Lord?” he asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the voice answered;
6 But stand up, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behooves thee to do.
“Yet stand up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men journeying along with him stood speechless, indeed hearing the voice, but seeing no one.
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 his eyes being open, he saw nothing: but leading him by the hand, they led him into 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 three days not seeing, neither did he eat nor drink.
and for three days he was unable to see, and took nothing either to eat or to drink.
10 And there was a certain disciple in Damascus, Ananias by name; 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, Arising, go to the street which is called Straight, and seek a Tarsean, by name Saul, in the house of Judas; for, behold, he is praying,
“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, Ananias by name, coming in, and putting his hands on him, in order that he may look up.
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 And Ananias responded, Lord I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has 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 he here has authority from the chief priests to bind all those calling on 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: because he is a vessel of election to me, to bear my name both before the Gentiles, and kings, and sons 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 show him how many things it behooves him to suffer for my name's sake.
I will myself show him all that he has to suffer for my Name.”
17 And Ananias departed, and came into the house: and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, Jesus, that appeared to you in the way in which thou didst come, hath sent me, that thou mayest look up, and he 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 scales: and he looked up; and having stood up, 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 having received food, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples who were in Damascus 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 was preaching 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 those hearing were astonished, and continued to say, Is not this the one laying waste those calling on this name in Jerusalem? and has come hither for this, that he may lead 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 And Saul continued to be the more filled up with dynamite, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that Jesus 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 being filled up, the Jews issued a verdict to kill him:
After some time the Jews laid a plot to kill Saul,
24 but their plot was made known to Saul. And they were keeping the gates both day and night in order that they might kill him:
but it became known to him. They even watched the gates day and night, to kill him;
25 and his disciples taking him, let him down through the wall in the night, lowering him in a basket.
but his disciples let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And arriving in Jerusalem, he was endeavoring to join himself to the disciples: and 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 taking him, led him to the apostles, and related to them how he saw the Lord on the way, and that He spoke to him, and how he preached boldly in Damascus 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 going in and coming out in Jerusalem, preaching boldly 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 and he was speaking and arguing against the Hellenists, and they undertook to kill him.
talking and arguing with the Jews of foreign birth, who, however, made attempts to kill him.
30 And the brethren, taking cognizance, led him 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 Then indeed the church had peace throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, being edified and progressing in the fear of the Lord; and was being multiplied by the exhortation 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 going through all parts, came down also to the saints living 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, by name Eneas, lying on a bed eight years, who was paralyzed.
There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bed-ridden for eight years with paralysis.
34 And Peter said to him, Eneas, Jesus Christ heals thee: arise, and take up 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 those dwelling at Lydda and Sharon, whosoever saw him, turned 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 But there was a certain disciple in Joppa, by name Tabitha, who being interpreted is called Dorcas: and she was full of good works and alms which she was doing.
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 during those days, she being sick, died: and washing her, they placed 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 Lydda being near to Joppa, the disciples hearing that Peter is in it, sent two men to him, entreating him, Do not delay to come unto us.
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 came along with them; whom, on arrival, they led to the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing him the chitoons and himations, so many as Dorcas made, while with 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 Peter having put them all out, and putting down his knees, prayed; and having turned toward the body, said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and seeing Peter 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 having given her his hand, he raised her up, and calling the saints and 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 known throughout all Joppa; and many believed on 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 remained some days in Joppa, with one Simon a tanner.
And Peter stayed some days at Jaffa with a tanner named Simon.
