Acts 9

1Saul, however, still breathed threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples. Going to the high priest, 2he requested letters to the synagogues of Damascus. With them he could put in chains any people of the Way he found there, men and women alike, and take them back to Jerusalem. 3On his way, as he was nearing Damascus, all at once a light from heaven blazed around him. 4He dropped to the ground and heard a voice speaking to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5“Who are you, Lord?” he asked. He answered, “I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. 6But get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you have to do.” 7The men on the road with him stood there unable to speak. They heard the voice, but they saw no one. 8Saul rose from the ground. His eyes were open, yet he saw nothing at all, and his companions had to lead him by the hand into Damascus. 9He was without sight for three days, and all that time he neither ate nor drank.

10Living in Damascus was a disciple by the name of Ananias. In a vision the Lord called him: “Ananias!” “I am here, Lord,” he answered. 11The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight. There, at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus by the name of Saul. Even now he is praying, 12and he has seen a vision in which a man named Ananias comes in and lays his hands on him so that he can see again.” 13But Ananias answered, “Lord, many have told me of this man, and of how much evil he did to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14Now he is here, and the chief priests have given him power to put in chains all who call on your name.” 15But the Lord told him, “Go, because I have chosen this man as a vessel to bear my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. 16I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer for the sake of my name.” 17So Ananias went off and entered the house. He put his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you traveled, has sent me so that your sight may come back and you may be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18All at once what looked like scales fell away from his eyes, and he could see. He stood up and was baptized; 19then he took food and grew strong again. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples in Damascus. 20Without delay he went into the synagogues and proclaimed Jesus, telling them that he is the Son of God. 21All who heard him were astonished. “Is this not the man who tried to destroy those in Jerusalem who call on this name?” they said. “Did he not come here for this very purpose, to take them in chains to the chief priests?” 22But Saul’s power kept growing. He threw the Jews who lived in Damascus into confusion, demonstrating that Jesus is the Christ.

23After a good many days, the Jews made a plan to kill him. 24But Saul learned of their plot. They were even guarding the gates around the clock, waiting for the chance to kill him. 25One night, though, his disciples took him and got him out through the wall, letting him down in a basket.

26Once in Jerusalem, Saul made attempts to join the disciples, but every one of them feared him; they could not believe that he had become a disciple. 27Barnabas, however, took him in hand and brought him to the apostles. He explained to them that on the road Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and that in Damascus Saul had spoken out without fear in the name of Jesus. 28From then on Saul was with them, going in and out among them in Jerusalem and speaking openly in the name of the Lord. 29He spoke with the Greek-speaking Jews and argued with them, but they began making attempts on his life. 30When the brothers and sisters came to know of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

31So it was that the church across all of Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the Holy Spirit’s encouragement its numbers kept growing.

32Peter was traveling about through the whole area, and he came down to visit the holy people living in Lydda. 33There he came upon a man called Aeneas, a paralyzed man who had been confined to his bed for eight years. 34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ is healing you. Get up and make your bed.” He got up at once. 35Everyone living in Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36At Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha; translated, the name is Dorcas, which means gazelle. Her days were full of good works and of the gifts she gave to the poor. 37Just at that time she fell ill and died. They washed her body and laid it in an upper room. 38Lydda was not far from Joppa, and when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him with the plea, “Please come to us without delay.” 39Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him up to the upper room. All the widows stood around him in tears, holding up the tunics and cloaks Dorcas would make when she was among them. 40Peter made everyone leave the room. He knelt and prayed, then turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, stand up.” She opened her eyes, and at the sight of Peter she sat up. 41Peter gave her his hand and raised her up. Then he called in the holy people and the widows and presented her to them, alive. 42Word of this went all through Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. 43Peter stayed on in Joppa for many days, as the guest of one Simon, a tanner.