Acts 9:2–27

²and asked ^bletters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

^3cAs he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ^dwhy are you persecuting Me?”

⁵And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

⁶So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷And ^ethe men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. ⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus ^fnamed Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

¹¹So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul ^gof Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. ¹²And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

¹³Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, ^hhow much ²harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all ⁱwho call on Your name.”

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ^jhe is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before ^kGentiles, ^lkings, and the ^mchildren ³of Israel. ¹⁶For ⁿI will show him how many things he must suffer for My ^oname’s sake.”

^17pAnd Ananias went his way and entered the house; and ^qlaying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord ⁴Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and ^rbe filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

¹⁹So when he had received food, he was strengthened. ^sThen Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Saul Preaches Christ

²⁰Immediately he preached ⁵the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

²¹Then all who heard were amazed, and said, ^t“Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

²²But Saul increased all the more in strength, ^uand confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Saul Escapes Death

²³Now after many days were past, ^vthe Jews plotted to kill him. ^24wBut their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵Then the disciples took him by night and ^xlet him down through the wall in a large basket.

Saul at Jerusalem

²⁶And ^ywhen Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ^27zBut Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, ^aand how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.