Acts 9
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he traveled, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
9 For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank.
10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He replied, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Get up, go to the street called Straight, and look in the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.
12 And he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on him so that he might see again.”
13 Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest everyone who calls on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the nations, kings, and the people of Israel.
16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Ananias went and entered the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 At once, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.
19 After he ate, he regained his strength. He stayed for some days with the disciples in Damascus.
20 At once he began proclaiming in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
21 Everyone who heard him was amazed and said, “Isn’t this the man who in Jerusalem was destroying those who call on this name? And didn’t he come here to bring them bound to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
23 After many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him.
24 But Saul learned of their plot. They were also watching the gates day and night in order to kill him.
25 But his disciples took him by night and lowered him down through the wall in a basket.
26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road, how the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
28 He stayed with them, coming and going in Jerusalem, and spoke boldly in the name of the Lord.
29 He spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him.
30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace. It was being built up, living in the fear of the Lord, and growing in number through the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
32 As Peter traveled through all the places, he also went down to the saints living in Lydda.
33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been lying on a mat for eight years because he was paralyzed.
34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” At once he got up.
35 All who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which translated means Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.
37 In those days she became ill and died. After they washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him, asking, “Please come to us without delay.”
39 Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room, where all the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and clothes Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40 Peter sent everyone out, knelt down, and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and the widows and presented her alive.
42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 Peter stayed for many days in Joppa with a man named Simon, a leatherworker.
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