Book of Common Prayer

God Tells Ananias To Go Give Saul His Sight, For He Is God’s Chosen Instrument

¹⁰ Now a certain disciple was in Damascus— Ananias by name. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias”. And the one said, “Behold, I am here, Lord”. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Having arisen, go on the lane being called ‘Straight’, and seek one-from-Tarsus, Saul by name, in the house of Judas. For behold— he is praying. ¹² And he saw a man in a vision, Ananias by name, having come in and laid hands on him so that he might see-again”. ¹³ And Ananias responded, “Lord, I heard about this man from many— how many bad things he did to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all the ones calling-upon Your name”. ¹⁵ And the Lord said to him, “Go, because this one is a chosen instrument^[a] for Me— that he might carry My name before both Gentiles and kings, and sons of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how-many things he must suffer for My name”. ¹⁷ And Ananias departed, and entered into the house. And having laid his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me forth— Jesus, the One having appeared to you on the road on which you were coming— so that you may see-again and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales^[b] fell from his eyes. And he saw-again^[c], and having arisen, was baptized. ¹⁹ And having taken food, he strengthened.

Saul Begins Proclaiming Christ In Damascus. He Escapes a Plot To Kill Him

Now he came-to-be with the disciples in Damascus for some days. ²⁰ And immediately he was proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues— that this One is the Son of God. ²¹ And all the ones hearing were astonished, and were saying, “Is not this the one having destroyed in Jerusalem the ones calling-upon this name? And he had come here for this— that he might bring them bound to the chief priests!” ²² And Saul was becoming more strong. And he was confounding^[d] the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ. ²³ And when considerable days were being fulfilled, the Jews plotted to kill him. ²⁴ But their plot was known by Saul. And they were even closely-watching the gates both by day and by night so that they might kill him. ²⁵ But his disciples, having taken him by night, let him down through the wall, having lowered^[e] him in a large-basket.

Saul Joins The Disciples In Jerusalem. Due To a Plot To Kill Him, He Is Sent To Tarsus

²⁶ And having arrived in Jerusalem, he was trying to join the disciples. And they all were fearing him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas, having taken-hold-of him, brought him to the apostles and related to them how he saw the Lord on the road, and that^[f] He spoke to him; and how in Damascus he spoke-boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was with them, going in and going out in Jerusalem, speaking-boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was speaking and debating with the Hellenists, but the ones were attempting^[g] to kill him. ³⁰ But the brothers, having learned it, brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

The Church Enjoys Peace And Growth

³¹ So indeed the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria was having peace, while being built-up. And it was being multiplied while walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort^[h] of the Holy Spirit.

⁷ Therefore he was saying to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers— who showed^[a] you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance. And do not begin to say within^[b] yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’. For I say to you that God is able to raise-up children for Abraham from these stones! ⁹ And indeed the axe is already lying^[c] at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”.

The People Ask John What They Should Do To Produce Fruit Worthy of Repentance

¹⁰ And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ And having responded, he was saying to them, “Let the one having two tunics^[d] give to the one not having, and let the one having food be doing likewise”. ¹² And tax collectors also came to be baptized. And they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ And the one said to them, “Be collecting nothing more than the amount having been commanded”. ¹⁴ And ones serving-as-soldiers also were questioning him, saying, “And us, what should we do?” And he said to them, “Do not violently-extort^[e] anyone, nor extort-with-false-charges. And be content with your wages^[f]”.

John Says One More Powerful Is Coming, Who Will Baptize With The Spirit And Fire

¹⁵ And while the populace was waiting-in-expectation and all were pondering in their hearts about John— if perhaps he might be the Christ— ¹⁶ John responded, saying to everyone, “I am baptizing you with^[g] water, but the One more powerful than me is coming, of Whom I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with^[h] the Holy Spirit and fire^[i]— ¹⁷ Whose winnowing-tool is in His hand so as to clean-out^[j] His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with an inextinguishable fire”. ¹⁸ So indeed, while also exhorting many other things, he was announcing-good-news-to the people.