Book of Common Prayer
Why not hear my story?
37 As they were about to go into the barracks, Paul turned to the tribune.
“Am I allowed to say something to you?” he asked.
“Well!” replied the tribune. “So you know some Greek, do you? 38 Aren’t you the Egyptian who raised a revolt some while back and led those four thousand ‘assassins’ into the desert?”
39 “Actually,” replied Paul, “I’m a Jew! I’m from Tarsus in Cilicia. That’s not such a bad place to be a citizen. Please, please, let me speak to the people.”
40 So he gave him permission. Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When, eventually, there was silence, he spoke to them in Aramaic.
22 “My brothers and fathers,” he began, “hear me as I explain myself to you.”
2 When they heard him speaking in Aramaic they became even quieter.
3 “I am a Jew,” he continued, “and I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia. I received my education here, in this city, and I studied at the feet of Gamaliel. I was trained in the strictest interpretations of our ancestral laws, and became zealous for God, just as all of you are today. 4 I persecuted this Way, right to the point of killing people, and I bound and handed over to prison both men and women— 5 as the high priest and all the elders can testify. I received letters from them to the Jews of Damascus, where I was going in order to find the heretics who were there, tie them up, and bring them to Jerusalem to face their just deserts.
6 “Just as I was on the way, and getting near to Damascus, suddenly a bright light shone from heaven all around me. It was about midday. 7 I fell down on the ground and I heard a voice, saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Master?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, and you are persecuting me!’
9 “The people who were with me saw the light, but they didn’t hear the voice of the person speaking to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Master?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all the things that have been arranged for you to do.’
11 “So, as I couldn’t see because of the brightness of that light, the people with me led me by the hand, and I came to Damascus.”
Out of his own mouth
12 “There was a man named Ananias,” Paul continued. “He was a devout, law-keeping Jew, and all the Jews living in Damascus would testify to the fact. 13 He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ In that very moment I could see, and I looked at him. 14 This is what he said. ‘The God of our ancestors chose you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the word from his mouth. 15 This is because you are going to bear witness for him to all people, telling them what you have seen and heard. 16 Now, then, what are you going to do? Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins by calling on his name.’
Jesus heals a blind beggar
46 They came to Jericho. As Jesus, his disciples and a substantial crowd were leaving the town, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out: “Son of David! Jesus! Take pity on me!”
48 Lots of people told him crossly to be quiet. But he shouted out all the louder, “Son of David—take pity on me!”
49 Jesus came to a stop. “Call him,” he said.
So they called the blind man.
“Cheer up,” they said, “and get up. He’s calling you.”
50 He flung his cloak aside, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus saw him coming. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Teacher,” the blind man said, “let me see again.”
52 “Off you go,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved you.” And immediately he saw again, and he followed him on the way.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.