Paul is converted & confounds the Jews. Peter raises Tabitha.

9 And Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ But as he journeyed and came near to Damascus, suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. ⁴ And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ⁵ And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the prick. And he, both trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said to him, ⁶ Arise and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do.

⁷ The men who journeyed with him stood amazed, for they heard a voice, but saw no one. ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground and opened his eyes, but saw no one. Then they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For he is praying, ¹² and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to him and putting his hands on him, so that he may receive his sight.

¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who call on your name.

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, Go your way. For he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷ Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and put his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me, so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received sight and arose, and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food, and was comforted.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightaway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he was the Son of God. ²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the man that ravaged those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here intending to bring them as prisoners to the high priests?

  ²² But Saul increased in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that Jesus was the very Christ.

²³ And after a good while the Jews took counsel together, to kill him. ²⁴ But Paul knew they were laying in wait. And they watched at the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ Then the disciples took him by night, and put him through the wall and let him down in a basket.

²⁶ And when Saul got to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself with the disciples. But they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and explained to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and had spoken with him, and how bold he had been at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And Saul had his intercourse with them at Jerusalem, ²⁹ and acquitted himself boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. And he spoke and disputed with the Greeks, and they went about to kill him. ³⁰ But when the brethren knew of this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the congregations had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were strengthened, and walked in the fear of the Lord, and multiplied by the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

³² And it chanced that, as Peter walked throughout all the country, he came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda. ³³ And there he found a certain man named Eneas, who had been confined to his bed sick for eight years, paralyzed. ³⁴ Then Peter said to him, Eneas, may Jesus Christ make you whole! Arise, and make your bed. And he arose immediately. ³⁵ And all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord.

³⁶ There was at Joppa a certain woman, a disciple named Tabitha (which, translated, is Dorcas). She was full of good works and alms-deeds that she did. ³⁷ And it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a chamber. ³⁸ Because Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent to him, imploring him not to be grieved to come to them.

³⁹ Peter arose and went with them. And when he arrived, they brought him into the chamber. And all the widows stood round about him, weeping and showing the coats and the garments that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ And Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed, and turned to the body and said, Tabitha, arise! And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and lifted her up, and called the saints and widows, and showed her alive.

⁴² And this was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. ⁴³ And it came about that Peter stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.