Acts 9
Good News Translation
The Conversion of Saul(A)
9 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.
3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said. 6 “But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.
10 There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, “Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord said to him, “Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.”
13 Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel. 16 And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.”
17 So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 (B)At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized; 19 and after he had eaten, his strength came back.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus. 20 He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.
21 All who heard him were amazed and asked, “Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not answer him.
23 (C)After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made plans to kill Saul, 24 but he was told of their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But one night Saul's followers took him and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26 Saul went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples. But they would not believe that he was a disciple, and they were all afraid of him. 27 Then Barnabas came to his help and took him to the apostles. He explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him. He also told them how boldly Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 28 And so Saul stayed with them and went all over Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also talked and disputed with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit it was strengthened and grew in numbers, as it lived in reverence for the Lord.
Peter in Lydda and Joppa
32 Peter traveled everywhere, and on one occasion he went to visit God's people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had not been able to get out of bed for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ makes you well. Get up and make your bed.” At once Aeneas got up. 35 All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a woman named Tabitha, who was a believer. (Her name in Greek is Dorcas, meaning “a deer.”) She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor. 37 At that time she got sick and died. Her body was washed and laid in a room upstairs. 38 Joppa was not very far from Lydda, and when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him with the message, “Please hurry and come to us.” 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, he was taken to the room upstairs, where all the widows crowded around him, crying and showing him all the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was alive. 40 Peter put them all out of the room, and knelt down and prayed; then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 Peter reached over and helped her get up. Then he called all the believers, including the widows, and presented her alive to them. 42 The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed on in Joppa for many days with a tanner of leather named Simon.
Acts 9
Legacy 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 at (E)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to (F)the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 And as he was traveling, it happened that when he was approaching Damascus, (G)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and (H)falling to the ground, he 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 rise up and enter the city, and (I)it will be told you what you must do.” 7 And the men who traveled with him (J)stood speechless, (K)hearing the [c]voice but seeing no one. 8 And Saul got up from the ground, and (L)though his eyes were open, he [d]could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, they brought him into (M)Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple at (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, “Rise up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from (Q)Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen [e]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 about this man, (S)how much harm he did to (T)Your [f]saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he (U)has authority from 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 [g]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 for My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And he (AA)laid his hands on him and said, “(AB)Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—that is Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming—so that you may regain your sight and be (AC)filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he rose 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 at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (AF)in the synagogues, [h]saying, “He is (AG)the Son of God.” 21 And all those hearing him continued to be astounded, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem (AH)destroyed those that (AI)called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this One is the [i]Christ.
23 And when (AJ)many days had elapsed, (AK)the Jews plotted together to put him to death, 24 but (AL)their plot became known to Saul. (AM)They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
26 (AN)And when he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples, [j]but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But (AO)Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and recounted to them how he had (AP)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how (AQ)at Damascus he had (AR)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them, [k]moving about freely in Jerusalem, (AS)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [l](AT)Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 But when (AU)the 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 all Judea and Galilee and Samaria was having peace, being built up. And going on in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to multiply.
Peter Heals Aeneas
32 Now it happened that as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to (AZ)the [m]saints who lived at [n](BA)Lydda. 33 And there he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and make your bed.” Immediately he rose up. 35 And all who lived at [o](BB)Lydda and (BC)Sharon saw him, and they (BD)turned to the Lord.
Peter Raises Tabitha to Life
36 Now in (BE)Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated is called [p]Dorcas). This woman was full of good works and charity which she continually did. 37 And it happened [q]at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an (BF)upper room. 38 Now since Lydda was near (BG)Joppa, (BH)the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, pleading with him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the (BI)upper room; and all the (BJ)widows stood beside him, crying and showing all the [r]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 [s]saints and (BO)widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known all over (BP)Joppa, and (BQ)many believed in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he stayed many days in (BR)Joppa with (BS)a tanner named Simon.
Footnotes
- Acts 9:1 Later called Paul
- Acts 9:1 Lit threat
- Acts 9:7 Or sound
- Acts 9:8 Lit was seeing nothing
- Acts 9:12 Some early mss omit in a vision
- Acts 9:13 Or holy ones
- Acts 9:15 Or vessel
- Acts 9:20 Lit that
- Acts 9:22 Messiah
- Acts 9:26 Lit and
- 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 9:32 Or holy ones
- Acts 9:32 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:35 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:36 Gr for Gazelle
- Acts 9:37 Lit in those days
- Acts 9:39 Or inner garments
- Acts 9:41 Or holy ones
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
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