1 ف ِي أثناءِ ذَلِكَ، كانَ شاوُلُ ما يَزالُ غاضِباً يُهَدِّدُ بِقَتلِ تَلامِيذِ الرَّبِّ. فَذَهَبَ إلَى رَئِيسِ الكَهَنَةِ،

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

2 و َطَلَبَ مِنهُ رَسائِلَ إلَى المَجامِعِ فِي دِمَشقَ، حَتَّى تُعِينَهُ عَلَى القَبضِ عَلَى أيٍّ مِنْ أتباعِ «الطَّرِيقِ،» رِجالاً كانُوا أمْ نِساءً، ثُمَّ إعادَتِهِمْ إلَى القُدسِ.

And 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.

3 و َبَينَما كانَ مُسافِراً، اقتَرَبَ مِنْ دِمَشقَ. وَفَجأةً وَمَضَ حَولَهُ نُورٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ.

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

4 ف َسَقَطَ عَلَى الأرْضِ. وَسَمِعَ صَوتاً يَقُولُ لَهُ: «شاوُلُ، شاوُلُ، لِماذا تَضطَهِدُنِي؟»

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

5 ف َقالَ: «مَنْ أنتَ يا سَيِّدُ؟» فَقالَ: «أنا يَسُوعُ الَّذِي تَضطَهِدُهُ.

And 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.

6 ل َكِنِ انهَضْ، وَادخُلِ المَدِينَةَ، وَسَيُقالُ لَكَ هُناكَ ما يَنْبَغي أنْ تَفعَلَهُ.»

Trembling 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.

7 أ مّا الرِّجالُ المُسافِرُونَ مَعَهُ فَوَقَفُوا وَقَدِ انعَقَدَتْ ألسِنَتُهُمْ. فَقَدْ سَمِعُوا الصَّوتَ، لَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَرَوا أحَداً.

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

8 ف َنَهضَ شاوُلُ عَنِ الأرْضِ، وَعِندَما فَتَحَ عَينَيهِ، لَمْ يَقدِرْ أنْ يَرَى شَيئاً. فَأمسَكُوهُ بِيَدِهِ وَاقتادُوهُ داخِلَ دِمَشقَ.

Then 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.

9 و َلمُدَّةِ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ لَمْ يَقدِرْ أنْ يُبصِرَ، وَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ أوْ يَشرَبْ شَيئاً.

And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

10 و َكانَ فِي دِمَشقَ تِلمِيذٌ اسْمُهُ حَنانِيّا، فَقالَ لَهُ الرَّبُّ فِي رُؤيا: «يا حَنانِيا.» فَقالَ: «نَعَمْ يا رَبُّ.»

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

11 ف َقالَ لَهُ الرَّبُّ: «انهَضْ وَاذْهَبْ إلَى الطَّرِيقِ المُسَمَّى الزِّقاقَ المُستَقِيمَ، وَاسألْ فِي بَيتِ يَهُوذا عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ طَرسُوسَ اسْمُهُ شاوُلُ، فَهُوَ هُناكَ يُصَلِّي.

And 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.

12 و َقَدْ رَأى فِي رُؤيا رَجُلاً اسْمُهُ حَنانِيّا داخِلاً وَواضِعاً عَلَيهِ يَدَيهِ، لِكَي يَرَى ثانِيَةً.

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

13 ف َأجابَ حَنانِيّا: «يا رَبُّ، سَمِعْتُ مِنْ أشخاصٍ كَثِيرِينَ عَنْ هَذا الرَّجُلِ، وَسَمِعتُ عَنْ كُلِّ الفَظائِعِ الَّتِي فَعَلَها بِمُؤْمِنِيكَ المُقَدَّسِينَ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدسِ.

But 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;

14 و َقَدْ جاءَ إلَى هُنا وَمَعَهُ تَفوِيضٌ مِنْ كِبارِ الكَهَنَةِ لاعتِقالِ كُلِّ الَّذِينَ يُؤمِنونَ باسْمِكَ.»

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

15 ل َكِنَّ الرَّبَّ قالَ لَهُ: «اذْهَبْ! فَهَذا الرَّجُلُ هُوَ أداتِي المُختارَةُ لِيَحْمِلِ اسْمِي أمامَ جَمِيعِ الأُمَمِ، وَأمامَ المُلُوكِ، وَأمامَ بَنِي إسرائِيلَ.

But 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;

16 و َأنا سَأُرِيهِ كُلَّ ما يَنبَغي أنْ يُعانِيَهُ مِنْ أجلِ اسْمِي.»

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

17 ف َذَهَبَ حَنانِيّا وَدَخَلَ البَيتَ وَوَضَعَ يَدَيهِ عَلَيهِ وَقالَ: «أيُّها الأخُ شاوُلُ، أرسَلَنِي إلَيكَ الرَّبُّ يَسُوعُ الَّذِي ظَهَرَ لَكَ فِي طَرِيقِكَ إلَى هُنا. أرسَلَنِي لِكَي تَرَى ثانِيَةً وَتَمتَلِئَ مِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ.»

So 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.

18 ف َسَقَطَتْ فَوراً مِنْ عَينَيهِ أشياءٌ كَأنَّها قُشُورٌ يابِسَةٌ، فَاسْتَرجَعَ بَصَرَهُ، وَقامَ وَاعتَمَدَ.

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

19 و َبَعدَ أنْ تَناوَلَ بَعضَ الطَّعامِ، استَعادَ قُوَّتَهُ. شاوُلُ يُبَشِّرُ بَيُسُوع وَبَقِيَ شاوُلُ بَعضَ الوَقتِ مَعَ التَّلامِيذِ فِي دِمَشقَ.

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

20 ث ُمَّ ذَهَبَ فَوراً إلَى المَجامِعِ وَبَدَأ يُبَشِّرُ بِيَسُوعَ وَهُوَ يَشهَدُ وَيَقولُ: «إنَّ هَذا هُوَ ابنُ اللهِ.»

And immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, He is the Son of God!

21 ف َذُهِلَ كُلُّ الَّذِينَ سَمِعُوهُ وَقالُوا: «ألَيسَ هَذا هُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي حاوَلَ أنْ يُهلِكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤمِنُونَ بِهَذا الاسمِ فِي القُدسِ؟ ألَمْ يَأْتِ إلَى هُنا لِيَقبِضَ عَلَيهِمْ وَيَأْخُذَهُمْ إلَى كِبارِ الكَهَنَةِ؟»

And 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.

22 ل َكِنَّ شاوُلَ كانَ يَزدادُ قُوَّةً، وَكانَ يُحَيِّرُ اليَهُودَ السّاكِنِينَ فِي دِمَشقَ مُبَرهِناً أنَّ يَسُوعَ هُوَ المَسِيحُ حَقّاً. هُروبُ شاوُل مِنْ دِمَشق

But 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).

23 و َبَعدَ مُرُورِ أيّامٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، تَآمَرَ اليَهُودُ لِيَقتُلُوهُ.

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

24 غ َيرَ أنَّ شاوُلَ عَرَفَ بِخُطَّتِهِمْ. فَكانُوا يُراقِبُونَ بَوّاباتِ المَدِينَةِ لَيلَ نَهارَ لِكَي يَقتُلُوهُ،

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

25 ل َكِنَّ تَلامِيذَهُ أخَذُوهُ لَيلاً، وَوَضَعُوهُ في سَلَّةٍ، وَأنزَلُوهُ عَبرَ فُتْحَةٍ فِي سُورِ المَدينَةِ. شاوُلُ فِي مَدينَةِ القُدس

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

26 و َعِندَما جاءَ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدسِ، حاوَلَ أنْ يَنضَمَّ إلَى التَّلامِيذِ. لَكِنَّهُمْ كانُوا كُلُّهُمْ خائِفِينَ مِنهُ، غَيرَ مُصَدِّقِينَ أنَّهُ مِنْ تَلامِيذِ يَسُوعَ.

And 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.

27 غ َيرَ أنَّ بَرنابا أخَذَهُ وَأتَى بِهِ إلَى الرُّسُلِ. وَشَرَحَ لَهُمْ كَيفَ أنَّ شاوُلَ قَدْ رَأى الرَّبَّ فِي الطَّرِيقِ وَأنَّهُ كَلَّمَهُ. وَشَرَحَ كَيفَ أنَّهُ تَحَدَّثَ فِي دِمَشقَ بِاسْمِ يَسُوعَ بِشَجاعَةٍ.

However, 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.

28 و َبَقِيَ شاوُلُ مَعَهُمْ يَتَنَقَّلُ بِحُرِّيَّةٍ فِي القُدسِ، وَيَتَحَدَّثُ بِشَجاعَةٍ بِاسْمِ الرَّبِّ.

So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,

29 و َكانَ يُحادِثُ اليَهُودَ النّاطِقِينَ بِاليُونانِيَّةِ وَيُحاجِجُهُمْ. لَكِنَّهُمْ كانُوا يَسعُونَ إلَى قَتلِهِ.

Preaching 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.

30 ف َلَمّا عَلِمَ الإخوَةُ بِهَذا، أنزَلُوهُ إلَى مَدِينَةِ قَيصَرِيَّةَ، وَأرسَلُوهُ إلَى مَدِينَةِ طَرسُوسَ.

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

31 ف َصارَتِ الكَنِيسَةُ فِي جَمِيعِ أنحاءِ اليَهُودِيَّةِ وَالجَلِيلِ وَالسّامِرَةِ تَتَمَتَّعُ بِفَترَةٍ مِنَ السَّلامِ، وَكانَتْ تَتَقَوَّى. وَبَينَما كانَتِ الكَنِيسَةُ تَحيا فِي خَوفِ الرَّبِّ وَتَتَشَجَّعُ مِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ، كانَ عَدَدُ أعضائِها يَتَضاعَفُ. بُطرُسُ فِي اللِّدِّ وَيافا

So 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.

32 و َبَينَما كانَ بُطرُسُ يَطُوفُ بِكُلِّ المُدُنِ، جاءَ لِزِيارَةِ المُؤمِنِينَ المُقَدَّسينَ فِي بَلدَةِ اللُّدِّ.

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

33 و َوَجَدَ هُناكَ رَجُلاً اسْمُهُ إينِياسُ، كانَ مَشلُولاً طَرِيحَ الفِراشِ مُدَّةَ ثَمانِي سَنَواتٍ.

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

34 ف َقالَ لَهُ بُطرُسُ: «يا إينياسُ، يَشفِيكَ يَسُوعُ المِسِيحُ. فَانهَضْ وَرَتِّبْ فِراشَكَ بِنَفسِكَ.» فَنَهَضَ عَلَى الفَورِ،

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

35 ف َرَآهُ كُلُّ الَّذِينَ كانُوا يَسكُنُونَ فِي اللُّدِّ وَشارُونَ فَآمَنوا بِالرَّبِّ.

Then all the inhabitants of Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw him and they turned to the Lord.

36 و َكانَتْ فِي يافا تِلمِيذَةٌ اسْمُها طابِيثا، أيْ «غَزالَةُ.» وَكانَتْ تَقُومُ دائِماً بِأعمالٍ حَسَنَةٍ وَتَتَصَدَّقُ عَلَى الفُقَراءِ.

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

37 و َفِي ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ، مَرِضَتْ وَماتَتْ. فَغَسَلُوا جَسَدَها وَوَضَعُوهُ فِي غُرفَةٍ فِي الطّابِقِ العُلوِيِّ.

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

38 و َكانَتْ بَلْدَةُ اللُّدِّ قَرِيبَةً مِنْ بَلْدَةِ يافا. فَلَمّا سَمِعَ التَّلامِيذُ أنَّ بُطرُسَ كانَ فِي اللُّدِّ، أرسَلُوا رَجُلَينِ يَرجُوانِهِ: «تَعالَ إلَينا دُونَ تَأخِيرٍ مِنْ فَضلِكَ.»

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

39 ف َاسْتَعَدَّ بُطرُسُ وَذَهَبَ مَعهُما. فَلَمّا وَصَلَ أخَذُوهُ إلَى الغُرفَةِ العُلوِيَّةِ. فَوَقَفَتْ كُلُّ الأرامِلِ حَولَهُ وَهُنَّ يَبكِينَ وَيُرِينَ بُطرُسَ الأثوابَ وَالمَلابِسَ الأُخرَى الَّتِي كانَتْ تَصنَعُها غَزالَةُ وَهِيَ حَيَّةٌ.

So 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.

40 ف َأخرَجَ الجَمِيعَ مِنَ الغُرفَةِ، وَسَجَدَ وَصَلَّى. ثُمَّ قالَ مُلتَفِتاً إلَى الجَسَدِ: «يا طابِيثا، انهَضِي.» فَفَتَحَتْ عَينَيها. وَلَمّا رَأتْ بُطرُسَ، جَلَسَتْ مُعتَدِلَةً.

But 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.

41 ف َمَدَّ إلَيها يَدَهُ وَأنهَضَها. ثُمَّ دَعا المُؤمِنِينَ المُقَدَّسينَ وَالأرامِلَ وَقَدَّمَها لَهُمْ حَيَّةً.

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

42 و َانتَشَرَ هَذا الخَبَرُ فِي كُلِّ أنحاءِ يافا، فَآمَنَ كَثِيرُونَ بِالرَّبِّ.

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

43 و َبَقِيَ بُطرُسُ فِي يافا أيّاماً كَثِيرَةً لَدَى شَخصٍ اسْمُهُ سِمعانُ، وَهُوَ دَبّاغُ جُلُودٍ.

And Peter remained in Joppa for considerable time with a certain Simon a tanner.