Acts 9
9
Saul Becomes a Believer
1Meanwhile, Saul continued to oppose the Lord’s followers. He said they would be put to death. He went to the high priest. 2He asked the priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus. He wanted to find men and women who belonged to the Way of Jesus. The letters would allow him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3On his journey, Saul approached Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground. He heard a voice speak to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you opposing me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus,” he replied. “I am the one you are opposing. 6Now get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you must do.”
7The men traveling with Saul stood there. They weren’t able to speak. They had heard the sound. But they didn’t see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind. He didn’t eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a believer named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision. “Ananias!” he said.
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying. 12In a vision Saul has seen a man come and place his hands on him. That man’s name is Ananias. In the vision, Ananias placed his hands on Saul so he could see again.”
13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I’ve heard many reports about this man. They say he has done great harm to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14Now he has come here to arrest all those who worship you. The chief priests have given him authority to do this.”
15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will announce my name to the Gentiles and to their kings. He will also announce my name to the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. He placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Right away something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. And he could see again. He got up and was baptized. 19After eating some food, he got his strength back.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the believers in Damascus. 20Right away he began to preach in the synagogues. He taught that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Isn’t he the man who caused great trouble in Jerusalem? Didn’t he make trouble for those who worship Jesus? Hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22But Saul grew more and more powerful. The Jews living in Damascus couldn’t believe what was happening. Saul proved to them that Jesus is the Messiah.
23After many days, the Jews had a meeting. They planned to kill Saul. 24But he learned about their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates closely in order to kill him. 25But his followers helped him escape by night. They lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the believers. But they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really one of Jesus’ followers. 27But Barnabas took him to the apostles. He told them about Saul’s journey. He said that Saul had seen the Lord. He told how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also said that Saul had preached without fear in Jesus’ name in Damascus. 28So Saul stayed with the believers. He moved about freely in Jerusalem. He spoke boldly in the Lord’s name. 29He talked and argued with the Greek Jews. But they tried to kill him. 30The other believers heard about this. They took Saul down to Caesarea. From there they sent him off to Tarsus.
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. The church was strengthened and grew larger. That’s because they worshiped the Lord and the Holy Spirit helped them.
Peter Heals Aeneas and Dorcas
32Peter traveled around the country. He went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33There he found a disabled man named Aeneas. For eight years the man had spent most of his time in bed. 34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up! Roll up your mat!” So Aeneas got up right away. 35Everyone who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him. They turned to the Lord.
36In Joppa there was a believer named Tabitha. Her name in the Greek language is Dorcas. She was always doing good and helping poor people. 37About that time she became sick and died. Her body was washed and placed in a room upstairs. 38Lydda was near Joppa. The believers heard that Peter was in Lydda. So they sent two men to him. They begged him, “Please come at once!”
39Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him crying. They showed him the robes and other clothes Dorcas had made before she died.
40Peter sent them all out of the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned toward the dead woman. He said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and especially the widows. He brought her to them. They saw that she was alive. 42This became known all over Joppa. Many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time. He stayed with Simon, a man who worked with leather.
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Acts 9: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 9
9
1But meanwhile Saul was making violent threats against the disciples of the Lord, wanting to kill them. He went to the high priest 2and asked for letters of authorization to take with him to the synagogues in Damascus, giving him permission to arrest any believers in the Way#9:2. “Believers in the Way,” one early term referring to followers of Jesus. that he found, men or women, and bring them back to Jerusalem as prisoners.
3As Saul approached Damascus, suddenly he was surrounded by a light that blazed down from heaven. 4He fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,” he replied. 6“Get up, go on into the city, and you'll be told what to do.”
7The men who were traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice speaking, but they didn't see anyone. 8Saul got to his feet, and when he opened his eyes, he couldn't see anything. His companions took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9For three days he couldn't see, and he didn't eat or drink anything.
10A follower of Jesus called Ananias lived in Damascus, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision.
“Ananias!” he called.
“I'm here, Lord,” Ananias responded.
11“Get up, and go to Straight Street,” the Lord told him. “Ask at Judas' house for someone called Saul, from Tarsus. He's praying. 12He's seen in vision a man called Ananias come and place his hands on him so he can regain his sight.”
13“But Lord,” Ananias replied, “I've heard a lot about this man—about all the evil things he did to the believers in Jerusalem. 14The chief priests have given him the power to arrest everyone here that worships and follows you.”
15But the Lord told him, “Get on your way, because he is the person I have chosen to take my name to foreigners and kings, as well as to Israel. 16I will show him what he'll have to suffer for my name's sake.”
17So Ananias left and went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling here, has sent me so you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized. 19He also had something to eat and felt stronger.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20He immediately started speaking in the synagogues, saying, “Jesus is the Son of God.” 21All who heard him were amazed, and asked, “Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble in Jerusalem for those who believed in Jesus? Wasn't he coming here to have the believers arrested and taken in chains to the chief priests?” 22Saul grew more and more confident, proving Jesus was the Messiah so convincingly that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not refute him.
23Some time later the Jews plotted together to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their intentions. Day and night they waited by the city gates looking for the chance to murder him. 25So during the night his followers took him and lowered him down in a basket from an opening in the city wall. 26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they were not convinced he was really a disciple. 27However, Barnabas took him to meet the apostles, and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also explained how in Damascus Saul had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
28Saul stayed with the apostles and accompanied them all over Jerusalem, 29speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this they took him to Caesarea, and sent him to Tarsus.
31During this time the whole church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was left in peace. The church grew strong and increased rapidly in numbers as the believers lived reverently for the Lord,#9:31. Literally, “in the fear of the Lord.” encouraged by the Holy Spirit.
32Peter was traveling around and went to visit the believers who lived in Lydda. 33There he met a man called Aeneas who was paralyzed and had been confined to his bed for eight years. 34Peter told him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and pick up your mat!” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35Everyone living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and became believers in the Lord.
36In Joppa lived a follower called Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek).#9:36. Tabitha/Dorcas means “gazelle.” She was always doing good and helping the poor. 37However, about this time she became sick, and died. After washing her body, they laid her out in an upstairs room. 38Lydda was near Joppa, so the disciples in Joppa, hearing that Peter was in Lydda, sent two men to him with the message, “Please come to us right away.” 39So Peter got ready and left with them. When he arrived they took him upstairs. All the widows were there crying, and they showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40Peter told them all to leave, kneeled down, and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and lifted her up. He called in the believers and the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42The news spread through the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43Peter spent a long time in Joppa, staying at the house of Simon the tanner.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com