The Damascus Road: Saul Converted^(A)

9 Then ^(B)Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked ^(C)letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

^3 (D)As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ^(E)why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ^[a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

⁶ So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ And ^(F)the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus ^(G)named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

The Blessedness of Answered Prayer

A Psalm. A Song ^(A)at the dedication of the house of David.

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice:

¹³ And ^(A)every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

¹⁴ Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the ^[b]twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped ^[c]Him who lives forever and ever.

Breakfast by the Sea

21 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the ^(A)Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: ² Simon Peter, ^(B)Thomas called the Twin, ^(C)Nathanael of ^(D)Cana in Galilee, ^(E)the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. ³ Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and ^[a]immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. ⁴ But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples ^(F)did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Then ^(G)Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”

⁶ And He said to them, ^(H)“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

⁷ Therefore ^(I)that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. ⁹ Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

¹¹ Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. ¹² Jesus said to them, ^(J)“Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

¹⁴ This is now ^(K)the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus Restores Peter

¹⁵ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of ^[b]Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[c]love You.”

He said to him, ^(L)“Feed My lambs.”

¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of ^[d]Jonah, do you love Me?”

He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[e]love You.”

^(M)He said to him, “Tend My ^(N)sheep.”

¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of ^[f]Jonah, do you ^[g]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

And he said to Him, “Lord, ^(O)You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. ^18 (P)Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” ¹⁹ This He spoke, signifying ^(Q)by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ^(R)“Follow Me.”