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.
Currently Selected:
Acts 9: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Acts 9
9
The Damascus Road
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples # Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1 of the Lord. He went to the high priest # Ac 8:3; 9:13,21 2and requested letters # Ac 15:30; 22:5; 23:25,33 from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, # Ac 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22 he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As # Ac 22:6-11; 26:12-18; 1Co 15:8 he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? ”
5“Who are You, Lord? ” he said.
“I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting,” He replied. 6“But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. # Dn 10:7; Jn 12:29; Ac 22:9 8Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.
Saul’s Baptism
10There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias! ”
“Here I am, Lord! ” he said. # Ac 10:3,17,19; 22:12
11“Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus # Ac 9:30; 11:25; 21:39; 22:3 named Saul, since he is praying there. 12In a vision # Other mss omit In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.” # Mk 5:23; Ac 9:17
13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. # Ac 8:3; 9:32; Rm 1:7; 15:25-26,31; 16:2,15 14And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” # Ac 7:59; 1Co 1:2; 2Tm 2:22
15But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument # Ac 13:2; Rm 1:1; Gl 1:15 to take My name to Gentiles, # Mt 28:19; Rm 1:5; Gl 1:16 kings, and the Israelites. # Ac 25:22; 26:1 16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name! ” # Ac 20:23; 21:4,11; 2Co 6:4-5; 11:23-27; 1Th 3:3
17So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” # Ac 6:6; 22:13
18At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19And after taking some food, he regained his strength. # Ac 11:26; 26:20
Saul Proclaiming the Messiah
Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. 20Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.” # Mt 4:3; Ac 13:5,14
21But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests? ” # Ac 8:3; 9:13-14; Gl 1:13,23
22But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.
23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, # Ac 20:3,19; 23:12,30; 25:3; 2Co 11:26 25but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. # Jos 2:15; 1Sm 19:12; 2Co 11:33
Saul in Jerusalem
26When he arrived in Jerusalem, # Ac 22:17; 26:20; Gl 1:17 he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. 27Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly # Ac 13:46; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 26:26; Eph 6:20; 1Th 2:2 in the name of Jesus. # Ac 4:36; 9:3-6,20,22 28Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, # Lit Hellenists ; that is, Gk-speaking Jews but they attempted to kill him. # Ac 6:1; 2Co 11:26 30When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. # Ac 8:40; Gl 1:21
31So the church # Mt 16:18; 1Co 14:4; Rv 1:4 throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased in numbers.
The Healing of Aeneas
32As Peter was traveling from place to place, # Lit Peter was passing through all he also came down to the saints# Rm 1:7; Eph 5:3; 6:18 who lived in Lydda. # 1Ch 8:12; Ezr 2:23; Neh 7:37; 11:35 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,” # Or and get ready to eat and immediately he got up. # Ac 3:6,16; 4:10 35So all who lived in Lydda and Sharon # 1Ch 5:16; 27:29; Sg 2:1; Is 33:9; 35:2; 65:10 saw him and turned to the Lord.
Dorcas Restored to Life
36In Joppa # Jos 19:46; 2Ch 2:16; Ezr 3:7; Jnh 1:3; Ac 10:5 there was a disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. # = Gazelle She was always doing good works # 1Tm 2:10; Ti 3:8 and acts of charity. 37In those days she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who begged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” 39So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, “Tabitha, get up! ” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. # Mt 9:25; Mk 5:41; Lk 22:41; Jn 11:43; Ac 7:60 41He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her alive. 42This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43And Peter stayed on many days in Joppa with Simon, # Ac 10:6,17,32 a leather tanner. # Tanners were considered ritually unclean because of their occupation.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.