1 S aul was still talking much about how he would like to kill the followers of the Lord. He went to the head religious leader.

Saulo, porém, respirando ainda ameaças e mortes contra os discípulos do Senhor, dirigiu-se ao sumo sacerdote,

2 H e asked for letters to be written to the Jewish places of worship in the city of Damascus. The letters were to say that if he found any men or women following the Way of Christ he might bring them to Jerusalem in chains.

e pediu-lhe cartas para Damasco, para as sinagogas, a fim de que, caso encontrasse alguns do Caminho, quer homens quer mulheres, os conduzisse presos a Jerusalém.

3 H e went on his way until he came near Damascus. All at once he saw a light from heaven shining around him.

Mas, seguindo ele viagem e aproximando-se de Damasco, subitamente o cercou um resplendor de luz do céu;

4 H e fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you working so hard against Me?”

e, caindo por terra, ouviu uma voz que lhe dizia: Saulo, Saulo, por que me persegues?

5 S aul answered, “Who are You, Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus, the One Whom you are working against. You hurt yourself by trying to hurt Me.”

Ele perguntou: Quem és tu, Senhor? Respondeu o Senhor: Eu sou Jesus, a quem tu persegues;

6 S aul was shaken and surprised. Then he said, “What do You want me to do, Lord?” The Lord said to him, “Get up! Go into the city and you will be told what to do.”

mas levanta-te e entra na cidade, e lá te será dito o que te cumpre fazer.

7 T hose with Saul were not able to say anything. They heard a voice but saw no one.

Os homens que viajavam com ele quedaram-se emudecidos, ouvindo, na verdade, a voz, mas não vendo ninguém.

8 S aul got up from the ground. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing. They took him by the hand and led him to Damascus.

Saulo levantou-se da terra e, abrindo os olhos, não via coisa alguma; e, guiando-o pela mão, conduziram-no a Damasco.

9 H e could not see for three days. During that time he did not eat or drink.

E esteve três dias sem ver, e não comeu nem bebeu.

10 I n Damascus there was a follower by the name of Ananias. The Lord showed him in a dream what He wanted him to see. He said, “Ananias!” And Ananias answered, “Yes, Lord, I am here.”

Ora, havia em Damasco certo discípulo chamado Ananias; e disse-lhe o Senhor em visão: Ananias! Respondeu ele: Eis-me aqui, Senhor.

11 T he Lord said, “Get up! Go over to Straight Street to Judas’ house and ask for a man from the city of Tarsus. His name is Saul. You will find him praying there.

Ordenou-lhe o Senhor: Levanta-te, vai ã rua chamada Direita e procura em casa de Judas um homem de Tarso chamado Saulo; pois eis que ele está orando;

12 S aul has seen a man called Ananias in a dream. He is to come and put his hands on Saul so he might see again.”

e viu um homem chamado Ananias entrar e impor-lhe as mãos, para que recuperasse a vista.

13 A nanias said, “But Lord, many people have told me about this man. He is the reason many of Your followers in Jerusalem have had to suffer much.

Respondeu Ananias: Senhor, a muitos ouvi acerca desse homem, quantos males tem feito aos teus santos em Jerusalém;

14 H e came here with the right and the power from the head religious leaders to put everyone in chains who call on Your name.”

e aqui tem poder dos principais sacerdotes para prender a todos os que invocam o teu nome.

15 T he Lord said to him, “Go! This man is the one I have chosen to carry My name among the people who are not Jews and to their kings and to Jews.

Disse-lhe, porém, o Senhor: Vai, porque este é para mim um vaso escolhido, para levar o meu nome perante os gentios, e os reis, e os filhos de Israel;

16 I will show him how much he will have to suffer because of Me.” Saul Is Baptized

pois eu lhe mostrarei quanto lhe cumpre padecer pelo meu nome.

17 S o Ananias went to that house. He put his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me to you. You saw the Lord along the road as you came here. The Lord has sent me so you might be able to see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Partiu Ananias e entrou na casa e, impondo-lhe as mãos, disse: Irmão Saulo, o Senhor Jesus, que te apareceu no caminho por onde vinhas, enviou-me para que tornes a ver e sejas cheio do Espírito Santo.

18 A t once something like a covering fell from the eyes of Saul and he could see. He got up and was baptized.

Logo lhe caíram dos olhos como que umas escamas, e recuperou a vista: então, levantando-se, foi batizado.

19 A fter that he ate some food and received strength. For some days he stayed with the followers in Damascus. Saul Preaches the Good News

E, tendo tomado alimento, ficou fortalecido. Depois demorou- se alguns dias com os disc! pulos que estavam em Damasco;

20 A t once Saul began to preach in the Jewish places of worship that Jesus is the Son of God.

e logo nas sinagogas pregava a Jesus, que este era o filho de Deus.

21 A ll who heard him were surprised and wondered. They said, “This is the man who beat and killed the followers in Jerusalem. He came here to tie the followers in chains and take them to the head religious leaders.”

Todos os seus ouvintes pasmavam e diziam: Não é este o que em Jerusalém perseguia os que invocavam esse nome, e para isso veio aqui, para os levar presos aos principais sacerdotes?

22 B ut Saul kept on growing in power. The Jews living in Damascus wondered about Saul’s preaching. He was proving that Jesus was the Christ.

Saulo, porém, se fortalecia cada vez mais e confundia os judeus que habitavam em Damasco, provando que Jesus era o Cristo.

23 A fter some days the Jews talked together and made plans how they might kill Saul.

Decorridos muitos dias, os judeus deliberaram entre si matá- lo.

24 H e heard of their plans. Day and night they watched for him at the city gates to kill him.

Mas as suas ciladas vieram ao conhecimento de Saulo. E como eles guardavam as portas de dia e de noite para tirar-lhe a vida,

25 S o the followers helped him get away at night. They let him down over the wall in a basket. Saul Comes to Jerusalem

os discípulos, tomando-o de noite, desceram-no pelo muro, dentro de um cesto.

26 W hen Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were afraid of him. They did not believe he was a true follower of Jesus.

Tendo Saulo chegado a Jerusalém, procurava juntar-se aos discípulos; mas todos o temiam, não crendo que fosse discípulo.

27 T hen Barnabas took him to the missionaries. He told them that Saul had seen the Lord on the road. He told them also how the Lord had spoken to Saul and how he had preached without fear in Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Então Barnabé, tomando-o consigo, o levou aos apóstolos, e lhes contou como no caminho ele vira o Senhor e que este lhe falara, e como em Damasco pregara ousadamente em nome de Jesus.

28 A fter that he was with them going in and out of Jerusalem.

Assim andava com eles em Jerusalém, entrando e saindo,

29 H e preached without fear in the name of the Lord. He talked and argued with the Jews who spoke the Greek language. They kept trying to kill him.

e pregando ousadamente em nome do Senhor. Falava e disputava também com os helenistas; mas procuravam matá-lo.

30 W hen the followers heard this, they took him down to the city of Caesarea. From there they sent him to the city of Tarsus.

Os irmãos, porém, quando o souberam, acompanharam-no até Cesaréia e o enviaram a Tarso.

31 T hen the church through all the countries of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace for awhile. The church was made strong and it was given comfort by the Holy Spirit. It honored the Lord. More people were added to the church. Aeneas Is Healed

Assim, pois, a igreja em toda a Judéia, Galiléia e Samária, tinha paz, sendo edificada, e andando no temor do Senhor; e, pelo auxílio do Espírito Santo, se multiplicava.

32 W hen Peter was visiting all parts of the country, he came to the faithful followers who were living in the city of Lydda.

E aconteceu que, passando Pedro por toda parte, veio também aos santos que habitavam em Lida.

33 A man there named Aeneas could not move his body. He had been in bed eight years.

Achou ali certo homem, chamado Enéias, que havia oito anos jazia numa cama, porque era paralítico.

34 P eter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your bed.” He got up at once.

Disse-lhe Pedro: Enéias, Jesus Cristo te cura; levanta e faze a tua cama. E logo se levantou.

35 A ll the people who lived in Lydda and in the city of Sharon saw Aeneas and they turned to the Lord. Dorcas Is Raised from the Dead

E viram-no todos os que habitavam em Lida e Sarona, os quais se converteram ao Senhor.

36 A woman who was a follower lived in the city of Joppa. Her name was Tabitha, or Dorcas. She did many good things and many acts of kindness.

Havia em Jope uma discípula por nome Tabita, que traduzido quer dizer Dorcas, a qual estava cheia de boas obras e esmolas que fazia.

37 O ne day she became sick and died. After they had washed her body, they laid her in a room on the second floor.

Ora, aconteceu naqueles dias que ela, adoecendo, morreu; e, tendo-a lavado, a colocaram no cenáculo.

38 T he city of Lydda was near Joppa. The followers heard that Peter was at Lydda and sent two men to ask him to come at once.

Como Lida era perto de Jope, ouvindo os discípulos que Pedro estava ali, enviaram-lhe dois homens, rogando-lhe: Não te demores em vir ter conosco.

39 P eter went back with them. When he came, they took him to the room. All the women whose husbands had died were standing around crying. They were showing the clothes Dorcas had made while she was with them.

Pedro levantou-se e foi com eles; quando chegou, levaram-no ao cenáulo; e todas as viúvas o cercaram, chorando e mostrando-lhe as túnicas e vestidos que Dorcas fizera enquanto estava com elas.

40 P eter made them all leave the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes and looked at Peter and sat up.

Mas Pedro, tendo feito sair a todos, pôs-se de joelhos e orou; e voltando-se para o corpo, disse: Tabita, levanta-te. Ela abriu os olhos e, vendo a Pedro, sentou-se.

41 H e took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then he called in the faithful followers and the women whose husbands had died. He gave her to them, a living person.

Ele, dando-lhe a mão, levantou-a e, chamando os santos e as viúvas, apresentou-lha viva.

42 N ews of this went through all Joppa. Many people put their trust in the Lord.

Tornou-se isto notório por toda a Jope, e muitos creram no Senhor.

43 A fter this, Peter stayed in Joppa many days in the house of Simon who worked with leather.

Pedro ficou muitos dias em Jope, em casa de um curtidor chamado Simão.