Acts 9:19–31

¹⁹And after taking some food, he regained his strength. ^q

Saul Proclaiming the Messiah

Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. ²⁰Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.” ^r

²¹But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ^s

²²But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

²³After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, ²⁴but their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, ^t25but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. ^u

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶When he arrived in Jerusalem, ^vhe tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. ²⁷Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly ^win the name of Jesus. ^x28Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, ^ybut they attempted to kill him. ^z30When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. ^a

³¹So the church ^bthroughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers.