Acts 9

1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

3As he was traveling and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

6But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7The men traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one.

8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

9For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank.

10Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”

11The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying right now,

12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he may see again.”

13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.

14And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.

16For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

17So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. Then he got up and was baptized,

19and after he had eaten some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent some days with the disciples in Damascus.

20At once he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring that he is the Son of God.

21All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is this not the man who caused havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

22But Saul grew more and more powerful and threw the Jews who lived in Damascus into confusion by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

23After many days had gone by, the Jews plotted together to kill him,

24but Saul learned of their plot. They were watching the city gates day and night in order to kill him,

25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

26When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he really was a disciple.

27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

28So he stayed with them, going in and out in Jerusalem,

29speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him.

30When the brothers and sisters learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was being built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it kept growing in numbers.

32As Peter was traveling through all the region, he went down also to the saints who lived in Lydda.

33There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.

34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” At once he got up.

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

36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which translated is Dorcas. She was always doing good works and acts of charity.

37At that time she became sick and died. They washed her body and laid it in an upstairs room.

38Since Lydda was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him with the urgent request, “Please come to us without delay.”

39So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

40Peter sent them all out of the room, knelt down, and prayed. Then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and the widows and presented her to them alive.

42This became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

43Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a tanner named Simon.