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.

Peter and Cornelius

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of ^(BW)what was known as the Italian Cohort, ² a devout man ^(BX)who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ^3 (BY)About the ninth hour of the day^{[f] (BZ)}he saw clearly in a vision ^(CA)an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms ^(CB)have ascended ^(CC)as a memorial before God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is lodging ^(CD)with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸ and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter's Vision

⁹ The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, ^(CE)Peter went up ^(CF)on the housetop about ^(CG)the sixth hour^[g] to pray. ¹⁰ And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into ^(CH)a trance ¹¹ and saw ^(CI)the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; ^(CJ)for I have never eaten anything that is ^(CK)common or ^(CL)unclean.” ¹⁵ And the voice came to him again a second time, ^(CM)“What God has made clean, do not call common.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what ^(CN)the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, ^(CO)the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate ¹⁸ and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. ¹⁹ And while Peter was pondering ^(CP)the vision, ^(CQ)the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Rise and go down and ^(CR)accompany them without hesitation,^[h] for I have sent them.” ²¹ And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and ^(CS)God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by ^(CT)a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and ^(CU)to hear what you have to say.” ²³ So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and ^(CV)some of ^(CW)the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and ^(CX)fell down at his feet and ^(CY)worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, ^(CZ)“Stand up; I too am a man.” ²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew ^(DA)to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but ^(DB)God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

³⁰ And Cornelius said, ^(DC)“Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at ^(DD)the ninth hour,^[i] and behold, ^(DE)a man stood before me in bright clothing ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, ^(DF)your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

³⁴ So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that ^(DG)God ^(DH)shows no partiality, ³⁵ but ^(DI)in every nation anyone who fears him and ^(DJ)does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ As for ^(DK)the word that he sent to Israel, ^(DL)preaching good news of ^(DM)peace through Jesus Christ (^(DN)he is Lord of all), ³⁷ you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, ^(DO)beginning ^(DP)from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸ how ^(DQ)God anointed Jesus of Nazareth ^(DR)with the Holy Spirit and with ^(DS)power. He went about doing good and healing all ^(DT)who were oppressed by the devil, ^(DU)for God was with him. ³⁹ And ^(DV)we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. ^(DW)They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but ^(DX)God raised him on ^(DY)the third day and made him to ^(DZ)appear, ^41 (EA)not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as ^(EB)witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And ^(EC)he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify ^(ED)that he is the one appointed by God to be judge ^(EE)of the living and the dead. ^43 (EF)To him ^(EG)all the prophets bear witness that ^(EH)everyone who believes in him receives ^(EI)forgiveness of sins ^(EJ)through his name.”

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

⁴⁴ While Peter was still saying these things, ^(EK)the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And the believers from among ^(EL)the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because ^(EM)the gift of the Holy Spirit ^(EN)was poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them ^(EO)speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, ^47 (EP)“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit ^(EQ)just as we have?” ⁴⁸ And he ^(ER)commanded them ^(ES)to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.