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.

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

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.

and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

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.”

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

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

The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

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.

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

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

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

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.”

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

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.

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 Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

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.”

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

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.

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;

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.”

and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

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.

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

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

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

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.”

So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “ Brother 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 filled with the Holy Spirit.”

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

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

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

and he took food and was strengthened. Saul Begins to Preach Christ Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,

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

and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

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.”

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

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.

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

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

When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him,

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

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

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

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.

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

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.

But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

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

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed 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 W hen Peter was visiting all parts of the country, he came to the faithful followers who were living in the city of Lydda.

Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

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

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

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

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

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

And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

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

It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

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

And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.