Book of Common Prayer

¹⁰ A disciple named Ananias lived in Damascus. The Lord came to him in a vision and said. `Ananias.' He replied, `Here I am, Lord.'

¹¹ The Lord said, `Go into the street which is called Straight. At the house of Judas, ask for a man named Saul, from the city of Tarsus. He is there, talking with God.

¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming to him. He has seen him put his hands on him so that he may see again.'

¹³ Then Ananias replied, `Lord, often I have heard of this man. He has brought much trouble to your people at Jerusalem.

¹⁴ The chief priests have given him power in this city to put into prison all those who call on your name.'

¹⁵ The Lord said, `Go, I have chosen him to take my name to the people who are not Jews, to kings, and to the people of Israel also.

¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.'

¹⁷ Then Ananias went. He went into the house and put his hands on Saul. He said, `Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus came to you on the road while you were coming here. He has sent me to you so that you may see again, and that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

¹⁸ At once some kind of skin which had covered Saul's eyes came off. He was able to see again from then on. He got up and was baptised.

¹⁹ And when he had eaten food, he was strong again. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples at Damascus.

³² Two men were also led away to be killed with Jesus. They were bad men.

³³ They came to the place called Calvary (the head bone.) There they nailed the two bad men to the crosses also. They put one man on the right side of Jesus and one man on the left side of him.

³⁴ Jesus said, `Father, forgive them! They do not know what they are doing.' The soldiers played a game to see how they should divide his clothes.

³⁵ The people stood around watching. But the rulers made fun of him. They said, `He saved other people. He should save himself if he is God's Christ, God's chosen one!'

³⁶ The soldiers made fun of him. They came and brought him wine to drink.

³⁷ They said, `If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!'

³⁸ The sign that was put above Jesus' head said, `This is the King of the Jews.'

³⁹ One of the bad men who was hanging there said wrong things against Jesus. He said `If you are the Christ, why do you not save yourself and us?'

⁴⁰ But the other bad man told him to stop. He said, `Do you not even fear God? You are being punished just as he is.

⁴¹ It is right for us to be punished because we have done wrong things. But this man has done nothing bad.'

⁴² He said to Jesus, `Lord, remember me when you become a King.'

⁴³ And Jesus said to him, `I tell you the truth. Today you will be with me in God's garden of paradise.'