Chapter 9

The Conversion of Saul

1 aNow 1Saul, still bbreathing 2threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

2 and asked for aletters from him to bthe synagogues at cDamascus, so that if he found any belonging to dthe Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and asuddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

4 and ahe fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

6 but get up and enter the city, and ait will be told you what you must do.”

7 The men who traveled with him astood speechless, bhearing the 1voice but seeing no one.

8 Saul got up from the ground, and athough his eyes were open, he 1could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into bDamascus.

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

10 Now there was a disciple at aDamascus named bAnanias; and the Lord said to him in ca vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from aTarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

12 and he has seen 1in a vision a man named Ananias come in and alay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, ahow much harm he did to bYour 1saints at Jerusalem;

14 and here he ahas authority from the chief priests to bind all who bcall on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ahe is a chosen 1instrument of Mine, to bear My name before bthe Gentiles and ckings and the sons of Israel;

16 for aI will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after alaying his hands on him said, “bBrother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be cfilled with the Holy Spirit.”

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

19 and he took food and was strengthened.

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

Now afor several days he was with bthe disciples who were at Damascus,

20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus ain the synagogues, 1saying, “He is bthe Son of God.”

21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem adestroyed those who bcalled on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”

22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the 1Christ.

23 When amany days had elapsed, bthe Jews plotted together to do away with him,

24 but atheir plot became known to Saul. bThey were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;

25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

26 aWhen he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; 1but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

27 But aBarnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had bseen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how cat Damascus he had dspoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

28 And he was with them, 1moving about freely in Jerusalem, aspeaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

29 And he was talking and arguing with the 1aHellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.

30 But when athe brethren learned of it, they brought him down to bCaesarea and csent him away to dTarsus.

31 So athe church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria 1enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

Peter’s Ministry

32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to athe 1saints who lived at 2bLydda.

33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.

34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up.

35 And all who lived at 1aLydda and bSharon saw him, and they cturned to the Lord.

36 Now in aJoppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called 1Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

37 And it happened 1at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an aupper room.

38 Since Lydda was near aJoppa, bthe disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”

39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the aupper room; and all the bwidows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the 1tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

40 But Peter asent them all out and bknelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “cTabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling athe 1saints and bwidows, he presented her alive.

42 It became known all over aJoppa, and bmany believed in the Lord.

43 And Peter stayed many days in aJoppa with ba tanner named Simon.