Acts 9
New American 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 in (E)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to [c](F)the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and (G)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and (H)he fell to the ground and 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 get up and enter the city, and (I)it will be told to you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him (J)stood speechless, (K)hearing the [d]voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and (L)though his eyes were open, he [e]could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into (M)Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple in (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, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from (Q)Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen [f]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 people about this man, (S)how much harm he did to (T)Your [g]saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he (U)has authority from the chief priests to [h]arrest all who (V)call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for (W)he is a chosen [i]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 in behalf of My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after (AA)laying his hands on him said, “(AB)Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be (AC)filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got 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 in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (AF)in the synagogues, [j]saying, “He is (AG)the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem (AH)destroyed those who (AI)called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the [k]Christ.
23 When (AJ)many days had elapsed, (AK)the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but (AL)their plot became known to Saul. (AM)They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
26 (AN)When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But (AO)Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had (AP)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how (AQ)he had (AR)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. 28 And he was with them, [l]moving about freely in Jerusalem, (AS)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [m](AT)Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 Now when (AU)the [n]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 Judea, Galilee, and Samaria [o]enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it [p]continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.
Peter’s Ministry
32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he also came down to (AZ)the [q]saints who lived at [r](BA)Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years, [s]because he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your own bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at [t](BB)Lydda and (BC)Sharon saw him, and they (BD)turned to the Lord.
36 Now in (BE)Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which when translated means [u]Dorcas); this woman was [v]excelling in acts of kindness and charity which she did habitually. 37 But it happened [w]at that time that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an (BF)upstairs room. 38 Since Lydda was near (BG)Joppa, (BH)the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the (BI)room upstairs; and all the (BJ)widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the [x]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 [y]saints and (BO)widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over (BP)Joppa, and (BQ)many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed in (BR)Joppa many days with (BS)a tanner named Simon.
Footnotes
- Acts 9:1 Later called Paul
- Acts 9:1 Lit threat
- Acts 9:2 See John 14:6
- Acts 9:7 Or sound
- Acts 9:8 Lit was seeing
- Acts 9:12 A few early mss do not contain in a vision
- Acts 9:13 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 9:14 Lit bind
- Acts 9:15 Or vessel
- Acts 9:20 Lit that
- Acts 9:22 I.e., Messiah
- 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 9:30 I.e., disciples
- Acts 9:31 Lit was having
- Acts 9:31 Lit went
- Acts 9:32 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 9:32 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:33 Lit who was
- Acts 9:35 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:36 I.e., Gr for Gazelle
- Acts 9:36 Lit full of
- Acts 9:37 Lit in those days
- Acts 9:39 A long shirt worn next to the skin
- Acts 9:41 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
Acts 9
American Standard Version
9 But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: 4 and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: 6 but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the [a]voice, but beholding no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; 12 and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a [b]chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17 And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.
And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus. 20 And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God. 21 And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests. 22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
23 And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: 24 but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him: 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, 29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spake and disputed against the [c]Grecian Jews; but they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
31 So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being [d]edified; and, walking [e]in the fear of the Lord and [f]in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied. 32 And it came to pass, as Peter went throughout all parts, he came down also to the saints that dwelt at Lydda. 33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had kept his bed eight years; for he was palsied. 34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And straightway he arose. 35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called [g]Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she fell sick, and died: and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38 And as Lydda was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men unto him, entreating him, Delay not to come on unto us. 39 And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning to the body, 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; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many believed on the Lord. 43 And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
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