Old/New Testament

²² But Saul became stronger and stronger. He proved that Jesus is the Christ and made it so plain that the Jews at Damascus did not know what to say.

²³ Then some time after that, the leaders of the Jews planned to kill Saul.

²⁴ But he found out that they were waiting for him. The Jewish leaders watched the gates of the city night and day. They were waiting for a chance to kill him.

²⁵ Then one night the disciples put him in a basket and let him down outside the city wall.

²⁶ When Saul came to Jerusalem, he wanted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe that he was a disciple.

²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them, `Saul has seen the Lord on the road. The Lord has talked to him. After that he told God's word in the name of Jesus, without fear at Damascus.'

²⁸ So Saul stayed with the apostles and went around in Jerusalem. He told God's word in the name of the Lord Jesus without fear.

²⁹ He talked to the Jews who spoke the Greek language. But they did not agree with Saul, and so they made plans to kill him.

³⁰ When the Christian brothers knew that, they took him to Caesarea. Then they sent him to Tarsus [the city where he was born].

³¹ After that, the churches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria were not troubled any more and they believed more strongly. The people obeyed the Lord, and the Holy Spirit helped them to believe. And many more people joined them.

³² While Peter was travelling through all the towns, he came to visit God's people who lived in the city of Lydda.

³³ There he saw a man named Aeneas who was sick. He could not stand up. He had been on his bed for eight years.

³⁴ Peter said to him, `Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!' The man got up at once.

³⁵ All the people who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In the city of Joppa there was a disciple. Her name was Tabitha. That means Dorcas or Gazelle. She did much good work and she gave many things to the poor people.

³⁷ She became sick and died. They bathed her body and put her in a room upstairs.

³⁸ Lydda was near Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda, they sent two men and asked for him to come quickly.

³⁹ Peter got up and went with them. When he got there, they took him to the room upstairs. Women whose husbands were dead stood there crying. They showed Peter the clothes and coats that Dorcas had made for them while she was with them.

⁴⁰ Peter put them all out. He kneeled down and talked to God. He turned to the body and said, `Tabitha, get up.' She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹ He took her hand and helped her get up. Then he called in God's people and the women, and he gave her back to them alive.

⁴² All over Joppa people heard about this. Many people believed on the Lord.

⁴³ Peter stayed in Joppa for many days. He was with a man named Simon, who made skins into leather.