Jerusalem as an Adulterous Wife

16 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, confront^(A) Jerusalem with her detestable practices^{(B) 3} and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry^(C) and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father^(D) was an Amorite^(E) and your mother a Hittite.^{(F) 4} On the day you were born^(G) your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. ⁵ No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

⁶ “‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”^{[a](H) 7} I made you grow^(I) like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.^(J)

⁸ “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment^(K) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant^(L) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.^(M)

⁹ “‘I bathed you with water and washed^(N) the blood from you and put ointments on you. ¹⁰ I clothed you with an embroidered^(O) dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen^(P) and covered you with costly garments.^{(Q) 11} I adorned you with jewelry:^(R) I put bracelets^(S) on your arms and a necklace^(T) around your neck, ¹² and I put a ring on your nose,^(U) earrings^(V) on your ears and a beautiful crown^(W) on your head.^{(X) 13} So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes^(Y) were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil^(Z) and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.^{(AA) 14} And your fame^(AB) spread among the nations on account of your beauty,^(AC) because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AD)

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) 20} At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(AA) that Jesus is the Son of God.^{(AB) 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?^(AC) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^{(AD) 22} Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(AE)