Acts 9

Saul encounters the risen Jesus

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still spewing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest,2 seeking letters to the synagogues in Damascus. If he found persons who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, these letters would authorize him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.3 During the journey, as he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven encircled him.

4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him, "Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?"

5 Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?"
"I am Jesus, whom you are harassing," came the reply.

6 "Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do."
7 Those traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one.8 After they picked Saul up from the ground, he opened his eyes but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

9 For three days he was blind and neither ate nor drank anything.

10 In Damascus there was a certain disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
He answered, "Yes, Lord."
11 The Lord instructed him, "Go to Judas’ house on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.

12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias enter and put his hands on him to restore his sight."
13 Ananias countered, "Lord, I have heard many reports about this man. People say he has done horrible things to your holy people in Jerusalem.

14 He’s here with authority from the chief priests to arrest everyone who calls on your name.
15 The Lord replied, "Go! This man is the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.

16 I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
17 Ananias went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you were coming here. He sent me so that you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."18 Instantly, flakes fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.

19 After eating, he regained his strength.
He stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days.

20 Right away, he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogues. "He is God’s Son," he declared.

21 Everyone who heard him was baffled. They questioned each other, "Isn’t he the one who was wreaking havoc among those in Jerusalem who called on this name? Hadn’t he come here to take those same people as prisoners to the chief priests?"

22 But Saul grew stronger and stronger. He confused the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
23 After this had gone on for some time, the Jews hatched a plot to kill Saul.24 However, he found out about their scheme. They were keeping watch at the city gates around the clock so they could assassinate him.

25 But his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the city wall.
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really a disciple.27 Then Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles and told them the story about how Saul saw the Lord on the way and that the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them about the confidence with which Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.28 After this, Saul moved freely among the disciples in Jerusalem and was speaking with confidence in the name of the Lord.29 He got into debates with the Greek-speaking Jews as well, but they tried to kill him.

30 When the family of believers learned about this, they escorted him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. God strengthened the church, and its life was marked by reverence for the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the church continued to grow in numbers.

Peter heals and raises the dead

32 As Peter toured the whole region, he went to visit God’s holy people in Lydda.33 There he found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed and had been confined to his bed for eight years.34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed." At once he got up.

35 Everyone who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas). Her life overflowed with good works and compassionate acts on behalf of those in need.37 About that time, though, she became so ill that she died. After they washed her body, they laid her in an upstairs room.38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two people to Peter. They urged, "Please come right away!"

39 Peter went with them. Upon his arrival, he was taken to the upstairs room. All the widows stood beside him, crying as they showed the tunics and other clothing Dorcas made when she was alive.
40 Peter sent everyone out of the room, then knelt and prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.41 He gave her his hand and raised her up. Then he called God’s holy people, including the widows, and presented her alive to them.42 The news spread throughout Joppa, and many put their faith in the Lord.

43 Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with a certain tanner named Simon.

Acts 9

The Conversion of Saul

1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threatst to murdert the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest2 and requested letters from him to the synagoguess in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way,s either men or women, he could bring them as prisonerst to Jerusalem.ss3 As he was going along, approachingt Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashedt around him.4 Het fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul,t why are you persecuting me?”s5 So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting!6 But stand upt and enter the city and you will be toldt what you must do.”7 (Now the ment who were traveling with him stood there speechless,t because they heard the voice but saw no one.)s8 So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open,t he could see nothing.s Leading him by the hand, his companionst brought him into Damascus.

9 Fort three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything.t
10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. Thet Lords said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am,t Lord.”11 Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’s and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying,12 and he has seen in a visionss a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.”13 But Ananias replied,s “Lord, I have heard from many peoplet about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem,14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprisont all who call on your name!”s15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrumentt to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.t16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”t17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, placedt his hands on Sault and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here,t has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”s18 Immediatelyt something like scalest fell from his eyes, and he could see again. Het got up and was baptized,

19 and after taking some food, his strength returned.
For several dayst he was with the disciples in Damascus,20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,s saying, “This man is the Son of God.”ts21 Allt who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this nott the man who in Jerusalem was ravagingt those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisonerst to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul became more and more capable,t and was causing consternationt among the Jews who lived in Damascus by provingt that Jesust is the Christ.ts

Saul’s Escape from Damascus

23 Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotteds together to kill him,24 but Saul learned of their plot against him.t They were also watchingt the city gatest day and night so that they could kill him.

25 But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an openingt in the wall by lowering him in a basket.t

Saul Returns to Jerusalem

26 When he arrived in Jerusalem,s he attempted to associatet with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believet that he was a disciple.27 But Barnabas tookt Saul,t broughtt him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, thatt the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldlyt in the name of Jesus.28 So he was staying with them, associating openly with themt in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.29 He was speaking and debatingt with the Greek-speaking Jews,t but they were trying to kill him.

30 When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesareass and sent him away to Tarsus.

31 Thent the church throughout Judea, Galilee,t and Samaria experiencedt peace and thus was strengthened.t Livingt in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the churcht increased in numbers.

Peter Heals Aeneas

32 Nowt as Peter was traveling around from place to place,t he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda.s33 He found there a man named Aeneas who had been confined to a mattress for eight years becauset he was paralyzed.34 Petert said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christst heals you. Get up and make your own bed!”t And immediately he got up.

35 Allt those who lived in Lyddas and Sharons saw him, and theyt turneds to the Lord.

Peter Raises Dorcas

36 Now in Joppas there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation meanst Dorcas).s She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity.t37 At that timet she became sickt and died. When they had washedt her body,t they placed it in an upstairs room.38 Because Lyddas was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Come to us without delay.”t39 So Peter got up and went with them, andt when he arrivedt they brought him to the upper room. Allt the widows stood beside him, crying and showing himt the tunicst and other clothingt Dorcas used to maket while she was with them.40 But Peter sent them all outside,t knelt down,t and prayed. Turningt to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.s41 He gavet her his hand and helped her get up. Then he calledt the saints and widows and presented her alive.42 This became known throughout allt Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.s

43 Sot Petert stayed many days in Joppa with a man namedt Simon, a tanner.t