Acts 9
The Voice
9 Back to Saul—this fuming, raging, hateful man who wanted to kill every last one of the Lord’s disciples: he went to the high priest in Jerusalem 2 for authorization to purge all the synagogues in Damascus of followers of the way of Jesus.[a] His plan was to arrest and chain any of Jesus’ followers—women as well as men—and transport them back to Jerusalem. 3 He traveled north toward Damascus with a group of companions.
Imagine this: Suddenly a light flashes from the sky around Saul, 4 and he falls to the ground at the sound of a voice.
The Lord: Saul, Saul, why are you attacking Me?
Saul: 5 Lord, who are You?
Then he hears these words:
The Lord: I am Jesus. I am the One you are attacking. 6 Get up. Enter the city. You will learn there what you are to do.
These are shocking, unexpected words that will change his life forever.
7 His other traveling companions just stand there, paralyzed, speechless because they, too, heard the voice; but there is nobody in sight. 8 Saul rises to his feet, his eyes wide open, but he can’t see a thing. So his companions lead their blind friend by the hand and take him into Damascus. 9 He waits for three days—completely blind—and does not eat a bite or drink a drop of anything.
10 Meanwhile, in Damascus a disciple named Ananias had a vision in which the Lord Jesus spoke to him.
The Lord: Ananias.
Ananias: Here I am, Lord.
The Lord: 11 Get up and go to Straight Boulevard. Go to the house of Judas, and inquire about a man from Tarsus, Saul by name. He is praying to Me at this very instant. 12 He has had a vision—a vision of a man by your name who will come, lay hands on him, and heal his eyesight.
Ananias: 13 Lord, I know whom You’re talking about. I’ve heard rumors about this fellow. He’s an evil man and has caused great harm for Your special people in Jerusalem. 14 I’ve heard that he has been authorized by the religious authorities to come here and chain everyone who associates with Your name.
The Lord: 15 Yes, but you must go! I have chosen him to be My instrument to bring My name far and wide—to outsiders, to kings, and to the people of Israel as well. 16 I have much to show him, including how much he must suffer for My name.
17 So Ananias went and entered the house where Saul was staying. He laid his hands on Saul and called to him.
Ananias: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, sent me so you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
18 At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see. So he got up, received the ceremonial washing of baptism[b] identifying him as a disciple, 19 ate some food (remember, he had not eaten for three days), and regained his strength. He spent a lot of time with the disciples in Damascus over the next several days. 20 Then he went into the very synagogues he had intended to purge, proclaiming,
Saul: Jesus is God’s Son!
21 Obviously this amazed everybody, and the buzz spread.
The People: Isn’t he the man who caused so much trouble in Jerusalem for everyone identified with Jesus? Didn’t he come here to arrest followers of Jesus and bring them in chains to the religious authorities? Now he’s switched sides and is preaching Jesus?
22 As time passed, Saul’s confidence grew stronger and stronger, so much so that he debated with the Jews of Damascus and made an irrefutable case that Jesus is, in fact, God’s Anointed, the Liberating King.
23 They didn’t like being confounded like this; so after several days, the Jews plotted to assassinate Saul. 24 But he learned of the plot. He knew they were keeping the city gates under constant surveillance, so they could follow and kill him when he left. 25 To save Saul, the disciples came up with a plan of their own. During the night, they put Saul in a basket and lowered him by ropes from an opening in the wall of the city rather than passing through the gates. Their plan worked, 26 and he returned to Jerusalem.
He tried to join the disciples there, but they didn’t think he was sincere.
27 Only one person accepted Saul as a genuine disciple, Barnabas, who became Saul’s advocate to the apostles. He told the whole story of what happened in Damascus, from Saul’s vision and message from the Lord to his transformation into a confident proclaimer of the name of Jesus. 28 Finally they accepted Saul and gave him access to their community, and he continued to speak confidently in the name of the Lord. 29 He dialogued—and argued—with a group of Greek-speaking Jews. That didn’t go well either, because soon they were plotting to kill him also. 30 His fellow believers helped him escape by bringing him to Caesarea and sending him to his hometown, Tarsus.
31 And so the church enjoyed a period of peace and growth throughout the regions of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. The disciples lived in deep reverence for the Lord, they experienced the strong comfort of the Holy Spirit, and their numbers increased.
32 Peter hadn’t been idle during all this time. He was having a number of amazing experiences of his own, traveling from group to group and visiting the various communities of believers. Once he came to a town called Lydda, a border town between Samaria and Judea, and met with God’s special people there. 33 He visited a man named Aeneas. This poor fellow had been paralyzed for eight years, unable to leave his bed.
Peter: 34 Aeneas, Jesus the Anointed heals you. Get up! Now you can make your own bed!
And immediately—he got up! 35 All the local residents—both of Lydda and nearby Sharon—saw Aeneas healthy and strong again, so they turned to the Lord.
36 In a nearby coastal city, Joppa, there lived a disciple whose Aramaic name was Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek. She was a good woman—devotedly doing good and giving to the poor. 37 While Peter was in Lydda, she fell sick and died. Her fellow disciples washed her body and laid her in an upstairs room. 38 They had heard Peter was nearby, so two of them went with an urgent message, “Please come to Joppa as soon as possible.”
39 Peter went with them and immediately entered the room where the corpse had been placed. It was quite a scene—the widows of the community were crowded in the room, weeping, showing the various items of clothing that Dorcas had made for them.
40 Peter asked them to leave the room; then he got on his knees. He prayed for a while and then turned to her body.
Peter: Tabitha, get up!
She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 41 Giving her his hand, Peter lifted her up. Then he called in the other disciples—including the widows—and reintroduced them to their beloved friend. 42 The news of this miracle spread throughout the city, and many believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time as the guest of Simon, a tanner by profession.
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
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