The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ Now when they heard these things ^(A)they were enraged, and they ^(B)ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But he, ^(C)full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw ^(D)the glory of God, and Jesus standing ^(E)at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ And he said, “Behold, I see ^(F)the heavens opened, and ^(G)the Son of Man standing ^(H)at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together^[a] at him. ⁵⁸ Then ^(I)they cast him out of the city and ^(J)stoned him. And ^(K)the witnesses laid down their garments ^(L)at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And as they were stoning Stephen, ^(M)he called out, “Lord Jesus, ^(N)receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ And ^(O)falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ^(P)“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, ^(Q)he fell asleep.

The Conversion of Saul

9 But Saul, ^(A)still ^(B)breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to ^(C)the high priest ² and asked him for letters ^(D)to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to ^(E)the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ^3 (F)Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. ⁴ And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ^(G)me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, ^(H)whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But ^(I)rise and enter the city, and you will be told ^(J)what you are to do.” ^7 (K)The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, ^(L)hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, ^(M)he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named ^(N)Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, ^(O)“Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man ^(P)of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and ^(Q)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, ^(R)how much evil he has done to ^(S)your ^(T)saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from ^(U)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 instrument of mine to carry my name ^(X)before the Gentiles and ^(Y)kings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For ^(Z)I will show him how much ^(AA)he must suffer ^(AB)for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷ So ^(AC)Ananias departed and entered the house. And ^(AD)laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and ^(AE)be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and ^(AF)he regained his sight. Then ^(AG)he rose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and ^(AH)taking food, he was strengthened.

Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues

For ^(AI)some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰ And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ^(AJ)“He is the Son of God.” ²¹ And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who ^(AK)made havoc ^(AL)in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul ^(AM)increased all the more in strength, and ^(AN)confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving ^(AO)that Jesus was the Christ.

Saul Escapes from Damascus

^23 (AP)When many days had passed, the Jews^[a] plotted to kill him, ²⁴ but their ^(AQ)plot became known to Saul. ^(AR)They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night and ^(AS)let him down through an opening in the wall,^[b] lowering him in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶ And ^(AT)when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But ^(AU)Barnabas took him and ^(AV)brought him to the apostles and declared to them ^(AW)how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and ^(AX)how at Damascus he had ^(AY)preached boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So he went ^(AZ)in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he spoke and disputed against ^(BA)the Hellenists.^[c] But ^(BB)they were seeking to kill him. ³⁰ And when ^(BC)the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off ^(BD)to Tarsus.

³¹ So ^(BE)the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And ^(BF)walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, ^(BG)it multiplied.

The Healing of Aeneas

³² Now ^(BH)as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, ^(BI)Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. ^35 (BJ)And all the residents of Lydda and ^(BK)Sharon saw him, and ^(BL)they turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Restored to Life

³⁶ Now there was in ^(BM)Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.^[d] She was full of ^(BN)good works and acts of charity. ³⁷ In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in ^(BO)an upper room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, ^(BP)“Please come to us without delay.” ³⁹ So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to ^(BQ)the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics^[e] and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter ^(BR)put them all outside, and ^(BS)knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body ^(BT)he said, “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. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and ^(BU)many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And he stayed in Joppa for many days ^(BV)with one Simon, a tanner.

Paul Called by God

¹¹ For ^(A)I would have you know, brothers, that ^(B)the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.^{[a] 12 (C)}For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it ^(D)through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For you have heard of ^(E)my former life in Judaism, how ^(F)I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely ^(G)zealous was I for ^(H)the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when he ^(I)who had set me apart ^(J)before I was born,^[b] and who ^(K)called me by his grace, ¹⁶ was pleased to reveal his Son to^[c] me, in order ^(L)that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;^{[d] 17} nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then ^(M)after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James ^(N)the Lord's brother. ²⁰ (In what I am writing to you, ^(O)before God, I do not lie!) ^21 (P)Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was still unknown in person to ^(Q)the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³ They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

3 Finally, my brothers,^{[a] (A)}rejoice in the Lord. ^(B)To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

² Look out for ^(C)the dogs, look out for ^(D)the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For ^(E)we are the circumcision, ^(F)who worship ^(G)by the Spirit of God^[b] and ^(H)glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ^4 (I)though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ^5 (J)circumcised on the eighth day, ^(K)of the people of Israel, ^(L)of the tribe of Benjamin, ^(M)a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, ^(N)a Pharisee; ^6 (O)as to zeal, ^(P)a persecutor of the church; ^(Q)as to righteousness under the law,^[c] blameless. ⁷ But ^(R)whatever gain I had, ^(S)I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of ^(T)the surpassing worth of ^(U)knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ^(V)have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(W)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(X)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ^10 (Y)that I may know him and ^(Z)the power of his resurrection, and ^(AA)may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may ^(AB)attain the resurrection from the dead.