Acts 9

¹But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

²and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven:

⁴and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

⁵And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:

⁶but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

⁷And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no man.

⁸And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

⁹And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

¹¹And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth;

¹²and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.

¹³But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem:

¹⁴and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name.

¹⁵But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel:

¹⁶for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;

¹⁹and he took food and was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus.

²⁰And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God.

²¹And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests.

²²But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

²³And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him:

²⁴but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him:

²⁵but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

²⁶And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

²⁷But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

²⁸And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem,

²⁹preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him.

³⁰And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹So the church throughout all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.

³²And it came to pass, as Peter went throughout all parts, he came down also to the saints that dwelt at Lydda.

³³And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had kept his bed eight years; for he was palsied.

³⁴And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And straightway he arose.

³⁵And all that dwelt at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

³⁷And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died: and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber.

³⁸And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on unto us.

³⁹And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

⁴⁰But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹And he gave her his hand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord.

⁴³And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

Acts 9

¹Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest

²and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

³As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”

⁵“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.

⁶“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.

⁸Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

⁹For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

¹⁴And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

¹⁵“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.

¹⁶I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

¹⁷So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,

¹⁹and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

²⁰Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”

²¹All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

²²But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

²³After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,

²⁴but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

²⁵One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.

²⁶When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

²⁷Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.

²⁸So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

²⁹He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

³⁰When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

³²As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.

³³There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.

³⁴“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,

³⁵and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

³⁶In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.

³⁷At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.

³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”

³⁹So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

⁴⁰Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

⁴²This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

⁴³And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.