¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples^(A) in Damascus.^{(B) 20} At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(C) that Jesus is the Son of God.^{(D) 21} All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?^(E) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^{(F) 22} Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(G)

¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb^(A) and called me^(B) by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,^(C) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.^{(D) 17} I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.^(E)

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^{(A) 24} but Saul learned of their plan.^(B) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.^(C)

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem,^(D) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas^(E) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,^(F) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^{(G) 28} So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a](H) but they tried to kill him.^{(I) 30} When the believers^(J) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(K) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(L)

²¹ Then I went to Syria^(A) and Cilicia.^{(B) 22} I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea^(C) that are in Christ.^{(D) 23} They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith^(E) he once tried to destroy.”^{(F) 24} And they praised God^(G) because of me.