1 M eanwhile Saul, still drawing his breath hard from threatening and murderous desire against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Enquanto isso, Saulo ainda respirava ameaças de morte contra os discípulos do Senhor. Dirigindo-se ao sumo sacerdote,

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

pediu-lhe cartas para as sinagogas de Damasco, de maneira que, caso encontrasse ali homens ou mulheres que pertencessem ao Caminho, pudesse levá-los presos para Jerusalém.

3 N ow as he traveled on, he came near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,

Em sua viagem, quando se aproximava de Damasco, de repente brilhou ao seu redor uma luz vinda do céu.

4 A nd he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me ?

Ele caiu por terra e ouviu uma voz que lhe dizia: “Saulo, Saulo, por que você me persegue?”

5 A nd Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad.

Saulo perguntou: “Quem és tu, Senhor?” Ele respondeu: “Eu sou Jesus, a quem você persegue.

6 T rembling and astonished he asked, Lord, what do You desire me to do? The Lord said to him, But arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.

Levante-se, entre na cidade; alguém lhe dirá o que você deve fazer”.

7 T he men who were accompanying him were unable to speak, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

Os homens que viajavam com Saulo pararam emudecidos; ouviam a voz mas não viam ninguém.

8 T hen Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

Saulo levantou-se do chão e, abrindo os olhos, não conseguia ver nada. E os homens o levaram pela mão até Damasco.

9 A nd he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

Por três dias ele esteve cego, não comeu nem bebeu.

10 N ow there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he answered, Here am I, Lord.

Em Damasco havia um discípulo chamado Ananias. O Senhor o chamou numa visão: “Ananias!” “Eis-me aqui, Senhor”, respondeu ele.

11 A nd the Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying.

O Senhor lhe disse: “Vá à casa de Judas, na rua chamada Direita, e pergunte por um homem de Tarso chamado Saulo. Ele está orando;

12 A nd he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.

numa visão viu um homem chamado Ananias chegar e impor-lhe as mãos para que voltasse a ver”.

13 B ut Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard many people tell about this man, especially how much evil and what great suffering he has brought on Your saints at Jerusalem;

Respondeu Ananias: “Senhor, tenho ouvido muita coisa a respeito desse homem e de todo o mal que ele tem feito aos teus santos em Jerusalém.

14 N ow he is here and has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call upon Your name.

Ele chegou aqui com autorização dos chefes dos sacerdotes para prender todos os que invocam o teu nome”.

15 B ut the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the descendants of Israel;

Mas o Senhor disse a Ananias: “Vá! Este homem é meu instrumento escolhido para levar o meu nome perante os gentios e seus reis, e perante o povo de Israel.

16 F or I will make clear to him how much he will be afflicted and must endure and suffer for My name’s sake.

Mostrarei a ele o quanto deve sofrer pelo meu nome”.

17 S o Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Então Ananias foi, entrou na casa, pôs as mãos sobre Saulo e disse: “Irmão Saulo, o Senhor Jesus, que lhe apareceu no caminho por onde você vinha, enviou-me para que você volte a ver e seja cheio do Espírito Santo”.

18 A nd instantly something like scales fell from eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized,

Imediatamente, algo como escamas caiu dos olhos de Saulo e ele passou a ver novamente. Levantando-se, foi batizado

19 A nd after he took some food, he was strengthened. For several days he remained with the disciples at Damascus.

e, depois de comer, recuperou as forças. Saulo em Damasco e em Jerusalém Saulo passou vários dias com os discípulos em Damasco.

20 A nd immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, He is the Son of God!

Logo começou a pregar nas sinagogas que Jesus é o Filho de Deus.

21 A nd all who heard him were amazed and said, Is not this the very man who harassed and overthrew and destroyed in Jerusalem those who called upon this Name? And he has come here for the express purpose of arresting them and bringing them in chains before the chief priests.

Todos os que o ouviam ficavam perplexos e perguntavam: “Não é ele o homem que procurava destruir em Jerusalém aqueles que invocam este nome? E não veio para cá justamente para levá-los presos aos chefes dos sacerdotes?”

22 B ut Saul increased all the more in strength, and continued to confound and put to confusion the Jews who lived in Damascus by comparing and examining evidence and proving that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah).

Todavia, Saulo se fortalecia cada vez mais e confundia os judeus que viviam em Damasco, demonstrando que Jesus é o Cristo.

23 A fter considerable time had elapsed, the Jews conspired to put Saul out of the way by slaying him,

Decorridos muitos dias, os judeus decidiram de comum acordo matá-lo,

24 B ut their plot was made known to Saul. They were guarding the gates day and night to kill him,

mas Saulo ficou sabendo do plano deles. Dia e noite eles vigiavam as portas da cidade a fim de matá-lo.

25 B ut his disciples took him at night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket or hamper.

Mas os seus discípulos o levaram de noite e o fizeram descer num cesto, através de uma abertura na muralha.

26 A nd when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate himself with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe he really was a disciple.

Quando chegou a Jerusalém, tentou reunir-se aos discípulos, mas todos estavam com medo dele, não acreditando que fosse realmente um discípulo.

27 H owever, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and he explained to them how along the way he had seen the Lord, Who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached freely and confidently and courageously in the name of Jesus.

Então Barnabé o levou aos apóstolos e lhes contou como, no caminho, Saulo vira o Senhor, que lhe falara, e como em Damasco ele havia pregado corajosamente em nome de Jesus.

28 S o he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,

Assim, Saulo ficou com eles, e andava com liberdade em Jerusalém, pregando corajosamente em nome do Senhor.

29 P reaching freely and confidently and boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and discussed with and disputed against the Hellenists (the Grecian Jews), but they were seeking to slay him.

Falava e discutia com os judeus de fala grega, mas estes tentavam matá-lo.

30 A nd when the brethren found it out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Sabendo disso, os irmãos o levaram para Cesaréia e o enviaram para Tarso.

31 S o the church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was edified and walking in the respect and reverential fear of the Lord and in the consolation and exhortation of the Holy Spirit, continued to increase and was multiplied.

A igreja passava por um período de paz em toda a Judéia, Galiléia e Samaria. Ela se edificava e, encorajada pelo Espírito Santo, crescia em número, vivendo no temor do Senhor. Enéias e Dorcas

32 N ow as Peter went here and there among them all, he went down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

Viajando por toda parte, Pedro foi visitar os santos que viviam em Lida.

33 T here he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedfast for eight years and was paralyzed.

Ali encontrou um paralítico chamado Enéias, que estava acamado fazia oito anos.

34 A nd Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ (the Messiah) makes you whole. Get up and make your bed! And immediately stood up.

Disse-lhe Pedro: “Enéias, Jesus Cristo vai curá-lo! Levante-se e arrume a sua cama”. Ele se levantou imediatamente.

35 T hen all the inhabitants of Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw him and they turned to the Lord.

Todos os que viviam em Lida e Sarona o viram e se converteram ao Senhor.

36 N ow there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was abounding in good deeds and acts of charity.

Em Jope havia uma discípula chamada Tabita, que em grego é Dorcas, que se dedicava a praticar boas obras e dar esmolas.

37 A bout that time she fell sick and died, and when they had cleansed her, they laid in an upper room.

Naqueles dias ela ficou doente e morreu, e seu corpo foi lavado e colocado num quarto do andar superior.

38 S ince Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him begging him, Do come to us without delay.

Lida ficava perto de Jope, e, quando os discípulos ouviram falar que Pedro estava em Lida, mandaram-lhe dois homens dizer-lhe: “Não se demore em vir até nós”.

39 S o Peter rose and accompanied them. And when he had arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, crying and displaying undershirts (tunics) and garments such as Dorcas was accustomed to make while she was with them.

Pedro foi com eles e, quando chegou, foi levado para o quarto do andar superior. Todas as viúvas o rodearam, chorando e mostrando-lhe os vestidos e outras roupas que Dorcas tinha feito quando ainda estava com elas.

40 B ut Peter put them all out and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, Tabitha, get up! And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she raised herself and sat upright.

Pedro mandou que todos saíssem do quarto; depois, ajoelhou-se e orou. Voltando-se para a mulher morta, disse: “Tabita, levante-se”. Ela abriu os olhos e, vendo Pedro, sentou-se.

41 A nd he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling in God’s people and the widows, he presented her to them alive.

Tomando-a pela mão, ajudou-a a pôr-se em pé. Então, chamando os santos e as viúvas, apresentou-a viva.

42 A nd this became known throughout all Joppa, and many came to believe on the Lord.

Este fato se tornou conhecido em toda a cidade de Jope, e muitos creram no Senhor.

43 A nd Peter remained in Joppa for considerable time with a certain Simon a tanner.

Pedro ficou em Jope durante algum tempo, com um curtidor de couro chamado Simão.