The Conversion of Saul

¹But Saul, bstill cbreathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to dthe high priest ²and asked him for letters eto the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to fthe Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³gNow as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. ⁴And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting hme?” ⁵And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, hwhom you are persecuting. ⁶But irise and enter the city, and you will be told jwhat you are to do.” ⁷kThe men who were traveling with him stood speechless, lhearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, mhe saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰Now there was a disciple at Damascus named nAnanias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, o“Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man pof Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, ¹²and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and qlay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, rhow much evil he has done to syour tsaints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴And here he has authority from uthe chief priests to bind all who vcall on your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for whe is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name xbefore the Gentiles and ykings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶For zI will show him how much ahe must suffer bfor the sake of my name.” ¹⁷So cAnanias departed and entered the house. And dlaying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and ebe filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and fhe regained his sight. Then ghe rose and was baptized; ¹⁹and htaking food, he was strengthened.

Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues

For isome days he was with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, j“He is the Son of God.” ²¹And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who kmade havoc lin Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” ²²But Saul mincreased all the more in strength, and nconfounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving othat Jesus was the Christ.

Saul Escapes from Damascus

²³pWhen many days had passed, the Jews1 plotted to kill him, ²⁴but their qplot became known to Saul. rThey were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, ²⁵but his disciples took him by night and slet him down through an opening in the wall,2 lowering him in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶And twhen he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷But uBarnabas took him and vbrought him to the apostles and declared to them whow on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and xhow at Damascus he had ypreached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸So he went zin and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹And he spoke and disputed against athe Hellenists.3 But bthey were seeking to kill him. ³⁰And when cthe brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off dto Tarsus.

³¹So ethe church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And fwalking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, git multiplied.

The Healing of Aeneas

³²Now has Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. ³⁴And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, iJesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. ³⁵jAnd all the residents of Lydda and kSharon saw him, and lthey turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Restored to Life

³⁶Now there was in mJoppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.4 She was full of ngood works and acts of charity. ³⁷In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in oan upper room. ³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, p“Please come to us without delay.” ³⁹So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to qthe upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics5 and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. ⁴⁰But Peter rput them all outside, and sknelt down and prayed; and turning to the body the 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. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa, and umany believed in the Lord. ⁴³And he stayed in Joppa for many days vwith one Simon, a tanner.