Book of Common Prayer

⁴ though I have whereof I might be confident in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has reason to trust in the flesh, I have much more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day, of the kindred of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of the Hebrews; as concerning the law, a Pharisee, ⁶ and as concerning zeal, I persecuted the congregation. And as for the righteousness that is in the law, I was unrebukable.

⁷ But the things that were of advantage to me, I counted worthless for Christ’s sake. ⁸ Yea, I think all things worthless for the sake of the supreme and precious knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. For him I have counted all things a waste, and do judge them but dung, so that I may win Christ, ⁹ and may be found in him – not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith that is in Christ. I mean the righteousness which comes from God through faith, ¹⁰ in knowing him, and the power of the resurrection, and the fellowship of his passions, so that I may be conformable to his death, ¹¹ if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead.

Paul is converted & confounds the Jews. Peter raises Tabitha.

9 And Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of this Way, whether they were men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ But as he journeyed and came near to Damascus, suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. ⁴ And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ⁵ And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the prick. And he, both trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will you have me to do? And the Lord said to him, ⁶ Arise and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do.

⁷ The men who journeyed with him stood amazed, for they heard a voice, but saw no one. ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground and opened his eyes, but saw no one. Then they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

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.