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)

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^{(AF) 24} but Saul learned of their plan.^(AG) 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.^(AH)

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem,^(AI) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas^(AJ) 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,^(AK) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^{(AL) 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](AM) but they tried to kill him.^{(AN) 30} When the believers^(AO) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(AP) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(AQ)

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria^(AR) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.^(AS)

Aeneas and Dorcas

³² As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people^(AT) who lived in Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. ³⁴ “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you.^(AU) Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. ³⁵ All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon^(AV) saw him and turned to the Lord.^(AW)

³⁶ In Joppa^(AX) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good^(AY) and helping the poor. ³⁷ About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.^{(AZ) 38} Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples^(BA) heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

³⁹ Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows^(BB) stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out of the room;^(BC) then he got down on his knees^(BD) and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.”^(BE) She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.^{(BF) 43} Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.^(BG)

Protection of Property

22 ^[a]“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back^(A) five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

² “If a thief is caught breaking in^(B) at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;^{(C) 3} but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution,^(D) but if they have nothing, they must be sold^(E) to pay for their theft. ⁴ If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession^(F)—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.^(G)

⁵ “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution^(H) from the best of their own field or vineyard.

⁶ “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks^(I) of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.^(J)

⁷ “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping^(K) and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.^{(L) 8} But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,^(M) and they must^[b] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.^[c](N) The one whom the judges declare^[d] guilty must pay back double to the other.

¹⁰ “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping^(O) and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath^(P) before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. ¹² But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution^(Q) must be made to the owner. ¹³ If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.^(R)

¹⁴ “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.^{(S) 15} But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.^(T)

Social Responsibility

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin^(U) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,^(V) and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress^(W) to live.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal^(X) is to be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god^(Y) other than the Lord must be destroyed.^[e](Z)

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,^(AA) for you were foreigners^(AB) in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.^{(AC) 23} If you do and they cry out^(AD) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.^{(AE) 24} My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.^(AF)

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.^{(AG) 26} If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,^(AH) return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?^(AI) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.^(AJ)

²⁸ “Do not blaspheme God^[f](AK) or curse^(AL) the ruler of your people.^(AM)

²⁹ “Do not hold back offerings^(AN) from your granaries or your vats.^[g]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.^{(AO) 30} Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.^(AP) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.^(AQ)

³¹ “You are to be my holy people.^(AR) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;^(AS) throw it to the dogs.

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.^(AT) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.^(AU)

² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(AV) by siding with the crowd,^{(AW) 3} and do not show favoritism^(AX) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s^(AY) ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.^{(AZ) 5} If you see the donkey^(BA) of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

⁶ “Do not deny justice^(BB) to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge^(BC) and do not put an innocent^(BD) or honest person to death,^(BE) for I will not acquit the guilty.^(BF)

⁸ “Do not accept a bribe,^(BG) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

⁹ “Do not oppress a foreigner;^(BH) you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Sabbath Laws

¹⁰ “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, ¹¹ but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused.^(BI) Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

¹² “Six days do your work,^(BJ) but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.^(BK)

¹³ “Be careful^(BL) to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods;^(BM) do not let them be heard on your lips.^(BN)

The Three Annual Festivals

¹⁴ “Three times^(BO) a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

¹⁵ “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread;^(BP) for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv,^(BQ) for in that month you came out of Egypt.

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.^(BR)

¹⁶ “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest^(BS) with the firstfruits^(BT) of the crops you sow in your field.

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering^(BU) at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.^(BV)

¹⁷ “Three times^(BW) a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁸ “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.^(BX)

“The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.^(BY)

¹⁹ “Bring the best of the firstfruits^(BZ) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.^(CA)

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel^(CB) ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.^{(CC) 21} Pay attention to him and listen^(CD) to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive^(CE) your rebellion,^(CF) since my Name^(CG) is in him. ²² If you listen carefully to what he says and do^(CH) all that I say, I will be an enemy^(CI) to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. ²³ My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites,^(CJ) and I will wipe them out. ²⁴ Do not bow down before their gods or worship^(CK) them or follow their practices.^(CL) You must demolish^(CM) them and break their sacred stones^(CN) to pieces. ²⁵ Worship the Lord your God,^(CO) and his blessing^(CP) will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness^(CQ) from among you, ²⁶ and none will miscarry or be barren^(CR) in your land. I will give you a full life span.^(CS)

²⁷ “I will send my terror^(CT) ahead of you and throw into confusion^(CU) every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.^{(CV) 28} I will send the hornet^(CW) ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites^(CX) out of your way. ²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals^(CY) too numerous for you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession^(CZ) of the land.

³¹ “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea^[h] to the Mediterranean Sea,^[i] and from the desert to the Euphrates River.^(DA) I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out^(DB) before you. ³² Do not make a covenant^(DC) with them or with their gods. ³³ Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare^(DD) to you.”

The Covenant Confirmed

24 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron,^(DE) Nadab and Abihu,^(DF) and seventy of the elders^(DG) of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, ² but Moses alone is to approach^(DH) the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.”

³ When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws,^(DI) they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”^{(DJ) 4} Moses then wrote^(DK) down everything the Lord had said.

He got up early the next morning and built an altar^(DL) at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars^(DM) representing the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings^(DN) and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings^(DO) to the Lord. ⁶ Moses^(DP) took half of the blood^(DQ) and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed^(DR) against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant^(DS) and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”^(DT)

⁸ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people^(DU) and said, “This is the blood of the covenant^(DV) that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

⁹ Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders^(DW) of Israel went up ¹⁰ and saw^(DX) the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli,^(DY) as bright blue as the sky.^{(DZ) 11} But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw^(EA) God, and they ate and drank.^(EB)

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone^(EC) with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

¹³ Then Moses set out with Joshua^(ED) his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain^(EE) of God. ¹⁴ He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur^(EF) are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute^(EG) can go to them.”

¹⁵ When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud^(EH) covered it, ¹⁶ and the glory^(EI) of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai.^(EJ) For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.^{(EK) 17} To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire^(EL) on top of the mountain. ¹⁸ Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty^(EM) days and forty nights.^(EN)