Book of Common Prayer

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go to the street that is called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For he is praying, ¹² and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in to him and putting his hands on him, so that he may receive his sight.

¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the high priests to arrest all who call on your name.

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, Go your way. For he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷ Ananias went his way and entered into the house, and put his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me, so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received sight and arose, and was baptized, ¹⁹ and took food, and was comforted.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightaway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he was the Son of God. ²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, Is this not the man that ravaged those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here intending to bring them as prisoners to the high priests?

  ²² But Saul increased in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that Jesus was the very Christ.

²³ And after a good while the Jews took counsel together, to kill him. ²⁴ But Paul knew they were laying in wait. And they watched at the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵ Then the disciples took him by night, and put him through the wall and let him down in a basket.

²⁶ And when Saul got to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself with the disciples. But they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and explained to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and had spoken with him, and how bold he had been at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And Saul had his intercourse with them at Jerusalem, ²⁹ and acquitted himself boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. And he spoke and disputed with the Greeks, and they went about to kill him. ³⁰ But when the brethren knew of this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the congregations had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were strengthened, and walked in the fear of the Lord, and multiplied by the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

⁷ Then he said to the people who came to be baptized by him, O offspring of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth the due fruits of repentance, and do not begin to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I say to you, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ⁹ And now also is the axe laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire.

¹⁰ And the people asked him, saying, What should we do then? ¹¹ He answered and said to them, He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.

¹² Then there came publicans to be baptized, who asked him, Master, what should we do? ¹³ And he said to them, Require no more than that which is appointed to you.

¹⁴ The soldiers likewise enquired of him, saying, And what should we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither trouble any man wrongfully, but be content with your wages.

¹⁵ And as the people were in expectation, and all musing in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ, ¹⁶ John answered and said to them all, I baptize you with water, but one stronger than I is coming after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ He has his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with fire that never shall be quenched.

¹⁸ And with many other exhortations, John preached to the people.