Chapter 9

Conversion of Saul on the Road to Damascus.^{[a] 1} Now, Saul,^[b] still breathing threats and violence against the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus,^[c] authorizing him to arrest any men or women there who were followers of the Way and bring them back to Jerusalem.

³ While he was drawing near Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from the sky 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 reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.”

⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, for they had heard the voice but had seen no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was unable to see. Therefore, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ For three days, he was without sight and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Saul’s Baptism. There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. In a vision, the Lord said to him, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the Street called Straight,^[d] to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.”

¹³ Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and how much harm he has done to your saints^[e] in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ Now he has come here with authority from the chief priests to imprison all who invoke your name.”

¹⁵ However, the Lord said to him, “Go, for this is the man I have chosen as a vessel to bring my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I myself will show him how much he will have to suffer for the sake of my name.”

¹⁷ And so Ananias went forth and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”^{[f] 18} Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized; ¹⁹ then, after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul Preaches in Damascus. For several days, Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus, ²⁰ and he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astounded, and they said, “Is not this the man who in Jerusalem was persecuting those who invoked this name? And did he not come here for the specific purpose of arresting them so that they might be taken to the chief priests?” ²² But Saul’s strength continued to increase, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by showing that Jesus is indeed the Christ.

²³ After some time had passed, the Jews devised a plan to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were keeping watch on the city gates day and night so that they might kill him, ²⁵ but his disciples took him one night and let him down in a basket over the wall.

²⁶ Saul in Jerusalem and Tarsus. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they did not believe that he had become a disciple. ²⁷ However, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He related to them how on his journey Saul had seen the Lord who had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ Saul then moved about with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He also engaged in debate with the Hellenists^[g] but they began planning to kill him. ³⁰ When the brethren learned of this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.^[h]

³¹ Period of Peace for the Church.^[i]Meanwhile, the Church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, building up strength and living in the fear of the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit,^[j] the Church grew in numbers.

³² Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. As Peter traveled throughout the region, he went down to visit the saints living in Lydda.^{[k] 33} While there, he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralyzed. ³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” He immediately stood up. ³⁵ All the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Peter Restores Tabitha to Life. In Joppa, there was a disciple named Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek, whose life was devoted to performing good works and giving to those in need. ³⁷ In those days, she became ill and died. After they had washed her body, they laid her out in an upper room.^{[l] 38} Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, on hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.”

³⁹ Peter immediately set out with them, and when he arrived, they escorted him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. ⁴¹ He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and the widows, and he showed her to them alive. ⁴² It came to be known throughout Joppa, causing many to come to believe in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed on for many days in Joppa at the house of a tanner^[m] named Simon.