Acts 9

¹But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

²and requested from him letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³Now as he was traveling along, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

⁴And having fallen to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'

⁶And trembling and astonished he said: 'Lord, what do you want me to do?' And the Lord said to him: 'But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.'

⁷Now the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

⁸Then Saul rose up from the ground, and though his eyes were open he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus.

⁹And he was three days without seeing, and he neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision: 'Ananias.' And he said: 'Here I am, Lord.'

¹¹And the Lord said to him: 'Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man named Saul, a Tarsian; for behold, he is praying,'

¹³But Ananias answered: 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many evil things he has done to your saints in Jerusalem;'

¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.'

¹⁵But the Lord said to him: 'Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.'

¹⁶For I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.'

¹⁷Then Ananias went and entered the house, and laying his hands on him he said: 'Saul, brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

¹⁸Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight; and rising up, he was baptized.

¹⁹and having taken food, he was strengthened. And Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days.

²⁰And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

²¹And all who heard him were amazed and were saying: 'Is this not the one who ravaged those who called on this name in Jerusalem? And he came here for this purpose, to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests.'

²²But Saul grew increasingly capable and was confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, demonstrating that this Jesus is the Christ.

²³When many days had passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him;

²⁴But their plot became known to Saul. And they were watching the city gates day and night in order to kill him;

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

²⁶And when Saul arrived in Jerusalem he was trying to attach himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.

²⁷But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles, and he related to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

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

²⁹and speaking and debating with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him.

³⁰And when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³²Now as Peter was passing through all those regions he came down also to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.

³³And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been lying on a mat for eight years, for he was paralyzed.

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

³⁶Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which in translation means Dorcas; she was full of good works and acts of charity which she was continually doing.

³⁷In those days it happened that she became ill and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

³⁸And since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring: 'Do not delay in coming to us.'

³⁹Then Peter arose and went with them; and when he arrived they brought him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

⁴⁰Then Peter sent them all outside, and kneeling down he prayed; and turning to the body he said: 'Tabitha, arise.' And she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.

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

⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

⁴³And it came about that Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.