Saul’s Conversion^(A)

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.^(B) He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,^(C) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,^(D) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.^{(E) 4} He fell to the ground and heard a voice^(F) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”^(G)

⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound^(H) but did not see anyone.^{(I) 8} Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.^(J) So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,^(K) “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus^(L) named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on^(M) him to restore his sight.”

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people^(N) in Jerusalem.^{(O) 14} And he has come here with authority from the chief priests^(P) to arrest all who call on your name.”^(Q)

¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument^(R) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles^(S) and their kings^(T) and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”^(U)

¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on^(V) Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”^{(W) 18} Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,^{(X) 19} and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples^(Y) in Damascus.^(Z)

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem.^{(A) 14} They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;^{(B) 16} but they were kept from recognizing him.^(C)

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas,^(D) asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,”^(E) they replied. “He was a prophet,^(F) powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers^(G) handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.^(H) And what is more, it is the third day^(I) since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us.^(J) They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”^(K)

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”^{(L) 27} And beginning with Moses^(M) and all the Prophets,^(N) he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.^(O)

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it^(P) and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,^(Q) and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us^(R) while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures^(S) to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord^(T) has risen and has appeared to Simon.”^{(U) 35} Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.^(V)