Acts 9:1–15

Saul’s Conversion

9:1–19pp—Ac 22:3–16; 26:9–18

9Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.^f He went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,^g so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,^h whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.^{i 4}He fell to the ground and heard a voice^j 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.”^k

⁷The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound^l but did not see anyone.^{m 8}Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.ⁿ So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,^o “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus^p named Saul, for he is praying. ¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on^q him to restore his sight.”

¹³“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people^r in Jerusalem.^{s 14}And he has come here with authority from the chief priests^t to arrest all who call on your name.”^u

¹⁵But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument^v to proclaim my name to the Gentiles^w and their kings^x and to the people of Israel.