Acts 9
Legacy Standard Bible
The Conversion of Saul
9 (A)Now [a]Saul, still (B)breathing [b]threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for (C)letters from him to (D)the synagogues at (E)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to (F)the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 And as he was traveling, it happened that when he was approaching Damascus, (G)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and (H)falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but rise up and enter the city, and (I)it will be told you what you must do.” 7 And the men who traveled with him (J)stood speechless, (K)hearing the [c]voice but seeing no one. 8 And Saul got up from the ground, and (L)though his eyes were open, he [d]could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, they brought him into (M)Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple at (N)Damascus named (O)Ananias, and the Lord said to him in (P)a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from (Q)Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen [e]in a vision a man named Ananias come in and (R)lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, (S)how much harm he did to (T)Your [f]saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he (U)has authority from the chief priests to bind all who (V)call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for (W)he is a chosen [g]instrument of Mine, to bear My name before (X)the Gentiles and (Y)kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for (Z)I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And he (AA)laid his hands on him and said, “(AB)Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—that is Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming—so that you may regain your sight and be (AC)filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he rose up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.
Saul Begins to Preach Christ
Now (AD)for several days he was with (AE)the disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (AF)in the synagogues, [h]saying, “He is (AG)the Son of God.” 21 And all those hearing him continued to be astounded, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem (AH)destroyed those that (AI)called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this One is the [i]Christ.
23 And when (AJ)many days had elapsed, (AK)the Jews plotted together to put him to death, 24 but (AL)their plot became known to Saul. (AM)They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
26 (AN)And when he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples, [j]but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But (AO)Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and recounted to them how he had (AP)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how (AQ)at Damascus he had (AR)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them, [k]moving about freely in Jerusalem, (AS)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [l](AT)Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 But when (AU)the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to (AV)Caesarea and (AW)sent him away to (AX)Tarsus.
31 So (AY)the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria was having peace, being built up. And going on in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to multiply.
Peter Heals Aeneas
32 Now it happened that as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to (AZ)the [m]saints who lived at [n](BA)Lydda. 33 And there he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and make your bed.” Immediately he rose up. 35 And all who lived at [o](BB)Lydda and (BC)Sharon saw him, and they (BD)turned to the Lord.
Peter Raises Tabitha to Life
36 Now in (BE)Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated is called [p]Dorcas). This woman was full of good works and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened [q]at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an (BF)upper room. 38 Now since Lydda was near (BG)Joppa, (BH)the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, pleading with him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the (BI)upper room; and all the (BJ)widows stood beside him, crying and showing all the [r]tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter (BK)sent them all out and (BL)knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “(BM)Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. And calling (BN)the [s]saints and (BO)widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known all over (BP)Joppa, and (BQ)many believed in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he stayed many days in (BR)Joppa with (BS)a tanner named Simon.
Footnotes
- Acts 9:1 Later called Paul
- Acts 9:1 Lit threat
- Acts 9:7 Or sound
- Acts 9:8 Lit was seeing nothing
- Acts 9:12 Some early mss omit in a vision
- Acts 9:13 Or holy ones
- Acts 9:15 Or vessel
- Acts 9:20 Lit that
- Acts 9:22 Messiah
- Acts 9:26 Lit and
- Acts 9:28 Lit going in and going out
- Acts 9:29 Jews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation
- Acts 9:32 Or holy ones
- Acts 9:32 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:35 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:36 Gr for Gazelle
- Acts 9:37 Lit in those days
- Acts 9:39 Or inner garments
- Acts 9:41 Or holy ones
Acts 9
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
9 Meanwhile Saul, [a]still drawing his breath hard from threatening and murderous desire against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 And requested of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus [authorizing him], so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way [of life as determined by faith in Jesus Christ], he might bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem.
3 Now as he traveled on, he came near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,
4 And he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me [harassing, troubling, and molesting Me]?
5 And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. [b]It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].
6 Trembling and astonished he asked, Lord, what do You desire me to do? The Lord said to him, But arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.
7 The men who were accompanying him were unable to speak [for terror], hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Then Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank [anything].
10 Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he answered, Here am I, Lord.
11 And the Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying [there].
12 And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.
13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard many people tell about this man, especially how much evil and what great suffering he has brought on Your saints at Jerusalem;
14 Now he is here and has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call upon Your name.
15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the descendants of Israel;
16 For I will make clear to him how much he will be afflicted and must endure and suffer for My name’s sake.
17 So Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
18 And instantly something like scales fell from [Saul’s] eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized,
19 And after he took some food, he was strengthened. For several days [afterward] he remained with the disciples at Damascus.
20 And immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, He is the Son of God!
21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is not this the very man who harassed and overthrew and destroyed in Jerusalem those who called upon this Name? And he has come here for the express purpose of arresting them and bringing them in chains before the chief priests.
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and continued to confound and put to confusion the Jews who lived in Damascus by comparing and examining evidence and proving that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah).
23 After considerable time had elapsed, the Jews conspired to put Saul out of the way by slaying him,
24 But [the knowledge of] their plot was made known to Saul. They were guarding the [city’s] gates day and night to kill him,
25 But his disciples took him at night and let him down through the [city’s] wall, lowering him in a basket or hamper.
26 And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate himself with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe he really was a disciple.
27 However, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and he explained to them how along the way he had seen the Lord, Who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached freely and confidently and courageously in the name of Jesus.
28 So he went in and out [as one] among them at Jerusalem,
29 Preaching freely and confidently and boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and discussed with and disputed against the Hellenists (the Grecian Jews), but they were seeking to slay him.
30 And when the brethren found it out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus [his home town].
31 So the church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was edified [growing in wisdom, virtue, and piety] and walking in the respect and reverential fear of the Lord and in the consolation and exhortation of the Holy Spirit, continued to increase and was multiplied.
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he went down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedfast for eight years and was paralyzed.
34 And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [now] makes you whole. Get up and make your bed! And immediately [Aeneas] stood up.
35 Then all the inhabitants of Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw [what had happened to] him and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was at Joppa a disciple [a woman] named [in Aramaic] Tabitha, which [in Greek] means Dorcas. She was abounding in good deeds and acts of charity.
37 About that time she fell sick and died, and when they had cleansed her, they laid [her] in an upper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa [however], the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him begging him, Do come to us without delay.
39 So Peter [immediately] rose and accompanied them. And when he had arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, crying and displaying undershirts (tunics) and [other] garments such as Dorcas was accustomed to make while she was with them.
40 But Peter put them all out [of the room] and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, Tabitha, get up! And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she raised herself and sat upright.
41 And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling in God’s people and the widows, he presented her to them alive.
42 And this became known throughout all Joppa, and many came to believe on the Lord [to adhere to and trust in and rely on Him as the Christ and as their Savior].
43 And Peter remained in Joppa for considerable time with a certain Simon a tanner.
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