< Acts 9 >
1 Now Saul, whose every breath was a threat of destruction for the disciples of the Lord,
But Saul, still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, having come to the high priest,
2 went to the High Priest and begged from him letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that if he found any believers there, either men or women, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem.
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.
3 But on the journey, as he was getting near Damascus, suddenly there flashed round him a light from Heaven;
And it came to pass, while prosecuting the journey he drew near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him;
4 and falling to the ground he heard a voice which said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
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?
5 "Who art thou, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," was the reply.
And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
6 "But rise and go to the city, and you will be told what you are to do.
But stand up, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behooves thee to do.
7 Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing dumb with amazement, hearing a sound, but seeing no one.
And the men journeying along with him stood speechless, indeed hearing the voice, but seeing no one.
8 Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes, he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought him to Damascus.
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;
9 And for two days he remained without sight, and did not eat or drink anything.
and he was three days not seeing, neither did he eat nor drink.
10 Now in Damascus there was a disciple of the name of Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, "Ananias!" "I am here, Lord," he answered.
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.
11 "Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus, for he is actually praying.
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,
12 He has seen a man called Ananias come and lay his hands upon him so that he may recover his sight."
and he saw a man, Ananias by name, coming in, and putting his hands on him, in order that he may look up.
13 "Lord," answered Ananias, "I have heard about that man from many, and I have heard of the great mischief he has done to Thy people in Jerusalem;
And Ananias responded, Lord I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints in Jerusalem:
14 and here he is authorized by the High Priests to arrest all who call upon Thy name."
and he here has authority from the chief priests to bind all those calling on thy name.
15 "Go," replied the Lord; "he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name to the Gentiles and to kings and to the descendants of Israel.
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:
16 For I will let him know the great sufferings which he must pass through for My sake."
for I will show him how many things it behooves him to suffer for my name's sake.
17 So Ananias went and entered the house; and, laying his two hands upon Saul, said, "Saul, brother, the Lord--even Jesus who appeared to you on your journey--has sent me, that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
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.
18 Instantly there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be scales, and he could see once more. Upon this he rose and received baptism;
And immediately there fell from his eyes as scales: and he looked up; and having stood up, was baptized,
19 after which he took food and regained his strength. Then he remained some little time with the disciples in Damascus.
and having received food, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples who were in Damascus some days;
20 And in the synagogues he began at once to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God;
and immediately he was preaching Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 and his hearers were all amazed, and began to ask one another, "Is not this the man who in Jerusalem tried to exterminate those who called upon that Name, and came here on purpose to carry them off in chains to the High Priests?"
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.
22 Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as for the Jews living in Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs that Jesus is the Christ.
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.
23 At length the Jews plotted to kill Saul;
And when many days were being filled up, the Jews issued a verdict to kill him:
24 but information of their intention was given to him. They even watched the gates, day and night, in order to murder him;
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:
25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a hamper.
and his disciples taking him, let him down through the wall in the night, lowering him in a basket.
26 So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.
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.
27 Barnabas, however, came to his assistance. He brought Saul to the Apostles, and related to them how, on his journey, he had seen the Lord, and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had fearlessly taught in the name of Jesus.
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.
28 Henceforth Saul was one of them, going in and out of the city,
And he was with them going in and coming out in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord;
29 and speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord. And he often talked with the Hellenists and had discussions with them.
and he was speaking and arguing against the Hellenists, and they undertook to kill him.
30 But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him by sea to Tarsus.
And the brethren, taking cognizance, led him to Caesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 The Church, however, throughout the whole of Judaea, Galilee and Samaria, had peace and was spiritually built up; and grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and receiving encouragement from the Holy Spirit.
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.
32 Now Peter, as he went to town after town, came down also to God's people at Lud.
And it came to pass, that Peter going through all parts, came down also to the saints living at Lydda.
33 There he found a man of the name of Aeneas, who for eight years had kept his bed, through being paralysed.
And he found there a certain man, by name Eneas, lying on a bed eight years, who was paralyzed.
34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you. Rise and make your own bed." He at once rose to his feet.
And Peter said to him, Eneas, Jesus Christ heals thee: arise, and take up thy bed: and immediately he arose.
35 And all the people of Lud and Sharon saw him; and they turned to the Lord.
And all those dwelling at Lydda and Sharon, whosoever saw him, turned to the Lord.
36 Among the disciples at Jaffa was a woman called Tabitha, or, as the name may be translated, 'Dorcas.' Her life was wholly devoted to the good and charitable actions which she was constantly doing.
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.
37 But, as it happened, just at that time she was taken ill and died. After washing her body they laid it out in a room upstairs.
And it came to pass during those days, she being sick, died: and washing her, they placed her in an upper chamber.
38 Lud, however, being near Jaffa, the disciples, who had heard that Peter was at Lud, sent two men to him with an urgent request that he would come across to them without delay.
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.
39 So Peter rose and went with them. On his arrival they took him upstairs, and the widow women all came and stood by his side, weeping and showing him the underclothing and cloaks and garments of all kinds which Dorcas used to make while she was still with them.
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.
40 Peter, however, putting every one out of the room, knelt down and prayed, and then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, rise." Dorcas at once opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, sat up.
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.
41 Then, giving her his hand, he raised her to her feet and, calling to him God's people and the widows, he gave her back to them alive.
And having given her his hand, he raised her up, and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42 This incident became known throughout Jaffa, and many believed in the Lord;
And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed on the Lord.
43 and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa, staying at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner.
And it came to pass, that he remained some days in Joppa, with one Simon a tanner.