Acts 9
9
Saul Becomes a Follower of the Lord
(Acts 22.6-16; 26.12-18)
1Saul kept on threatening to kill the Lord's followers. He even went to the high priest 2and asked for letters to the leaders of the synagogues in Damascus. He did this because he wanted to arrest and take to Jerusalem any man or woman who had accepted the Lord's Way.#9.2 accepted the Lord's Way: In the book of Acts, this means to become a follower of the Lord Jesus. 3When Saul had almost reached Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul! Saul! Why are you so cruel to me?”
5“Who are you?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus,” the Lord answered. “I am the one you are so cruel to. 6Now get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do.”
7 #
Dn 10.7; 3 Macc 6.18; Ac 22.6-9. The men with Saul stood there speechless. They had heard the voice, but they had not seen anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he could not see a thing. Someone then led him by the hand to Damascus, 9and for three days he was blind and did not eat or drink.
10A follower named Ananias lived in Damascus, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision. Ananias answered, “Lord, here I am.”
11The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. When you get there, you will find a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. Saul is praying, 12and he has seen a vision. He saw a man named Ananias coming to him and putting his hands on him, so he could see again.”
13Ananias replied, “Lord, a lot of people have told me about the terrible things this man has done to your followers in Jerusalem. 14Now the chief priests have given him the power to come here and arrest anyone who worships in your name.”
15The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen him to tell foreigners, kings, and the people of Israel about me. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for worshiping in my name.”
17Ananias left and went into the house where Saul was staying. Ananias placed his hands on him and said, “Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me. He is the same one who appeared to you along the road. He wants you to be able to see and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 #
Tb 11.13-15. Suddenly something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see. He got up and was baptized. 19Then he ate and felt much better.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
For several days Saul stayed with the Lord's followers in Damascus. 20Soon he went to the synagogues and started telling people that Jesus is the Son of God. 21Everyone who heard Saul was amazed and said, “Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble for those people in Jerusalem who worship in the name of Jesus? Didn't he come here to arrest them and take them to the chief priests?”
22Saul preached with such power that he completely confused the Jewish people in Damascus, as he tried to show them that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 #
2 Co 11.32,33. Later some of them made plans to kill Saul, 24but he found out about it. He learned that they were guarding the gates of the city day and night in order to kill him. 25Then one night his followers let him down over the city wall in a large basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a true follower. 27Then Barnabas helped him by taking him to the apostles. He explained how Saul had seen the Lord and how the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also said when Saul was in Damascus, he had spoken bravely in the name of Jesus.
28Saul moved about freely with the followers in Jerusalem and told everyone about the Lord. 29He was always arguing with the Jews who spoke Greek, and so they tried to kill him. 30But the followers found out about this and took Saul to Caesarea. From there they sent him to the city of Tarsus.
31The church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria now had a time of peace and kept on worshiping the Lord. The church became stronger, as the Holy Spirit encouraged it and helped it grow.
Peter Heals Aeneas
32While Peter was traveling from place to place, he visited the Lord's followers who lived in the town of Lydda. 33There he met a man named Aeneas, who for eight years had been sick in bed and could not move. 34Peter said to Aeneas, “Jesus Christ has healed you! Get up and make up your bed.”#9.34 and make up your bed: Or “and fix something to eat.” At once he stood up.
35Many people in the towns of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas and became followers of the Lord.
Peter Brings Dorcas Back to Life
36In Joppa there was a follower named Tabitha. Her Greek name was Dorcas, which means “deer.” She was always doing good things for people and had given much to the poor. 37But she got sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Joppa wasn't far from Lydda, and the followers heard that Peter was there. They sent two men to say to him, “Please come with us as quickly as you can!” 39At once, Peter went with them.
The men took Peter upstairs into the room. Many widows were there crying. They showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was still alive.
40After Peter had sent everyone out of the room, he knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the body of Dorcas and said, “Tabitha, get up!” The woman opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.
Peter called in the widows and the other followers and showed them that Dorcas had been raised from death. 42Everyone in Joppa heard what had happened, and many of them put their faith in the Lord. 43Peter stayed on for a while in Joppa in the house of a man named Simon, who made leather.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Acts 9
9
The Damascus Road
1Now 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?” Saul 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 8Saul 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 replied.#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#9:12 Other mss omit In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may 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 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
17Ananias went and entered the house. 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 may 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 time. 20Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”#Mt 4:3; Ac 13:5,14
21All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and 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 stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plot. 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 join 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 the Lord 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, but they tried 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
The Church’s Growth
31So the church#Mt 16:18; 1Co 14:4; Rv 1:4 throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
The Healing of Aeneas
32As Peter was traveling from place to place, 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,”#9:34 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). She was always doing good works#1Tm 2:10; Ti 3:8 and acts of charity. 37About that time 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 urged him, “Don’t delay in coming with us.” 39Peter 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. 40Peter 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. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. 42This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon,#Ac 10:6,17,32 a leather tanner.
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