ACTS Chapter 9 - Saul's Conversion

Saul's Conversion

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out

Murderous Threats against the Lord's Disciples.

He went to the High Priest

2 And asked him for letters to the Synagogues in Damascus,

So that if he found any there who belong to the Way,

Whether men or women,

He might take them as Prisoners to Jerusalem.

3 As he neared Damascus on his Journey,

SUDDENLY A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN FLASHED AROUND HIM.

4 HE FELL TO THE GROUND

AND HEARD A VOICE SAY TO HIM,

'SAUL, SAUL, WHY DO YOU PRESECUTE ME?'

5 'WHO ARE YOU, LORD?' Saul asked.

'I AM JESUS WHOM YOU ARE PERSECUTING,' He replied.

5 NOW GET UP AND GO INTO THE CITY,

AND YOU WILL BE TOLD WHAT YOU MUST DO.'

7 The men traveling with Saul

Stood there speechless;

They heard the sound but did not see anyone.

8 Saul got up from the ground,

But when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.

So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

9 FOR THREE DAYS HE WAS BLIND,

AND DID NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING.

10 In Damascus there was a Disciple named Ananias.

THE LORD CALLED TO HIM IN A VISION,

'ANANIAS!'

'YES LORD,' he answered.

11 The Lord told him,

'GO TO THE HOUSE OF JUDAS ON STRAIGHT STREET

AND ASK FOR A MAN FROM TARSUS NAMED SAUL,

FOR HE IS PRAYING.

12 IN A VISION HE HAS SEEN A MAN NAMED ANANIAS

COME AND PLACE HIS HANDS ON HIM

TO RESTORE HIS SIGHT.'

13 'Lord,' Ananias answered,

'I HAVE HEARD MANY REPORTS ABOUT THIS MAND

AND ALL THE HARM HE HAS DONE

TO YOUR SAINTS IN JERUSALEM.

14 AND HE HAS COME HERE WITH AUTHORITY

FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS

TO ARREST ALL WHO CALL ON YUR NAME.'

15 But the Lord said to Ananias,

'GO! THIS MAN IS MY CHOSEN INSTRUMENT

TO CARRY MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES

AND THEIR KINGS

AND BEFORE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

16 I WILL SHOW HIM

HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME.'

17 Then Ananias went to the house

And entered it.

Placing his hands on Saul,

He said,

'BROTHER SAUL,

THE LORD—JESUS HAS SENT ME

SO THAT YOU MAY SEE AGAIN

AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.'

'IMMEDIATELY, SOMTHNG LIKE SCALES

FELL FROM SAUL'S EYES,

AND HE COULD SEE AGAIN.

HE GOT UP AND WAS BAPTIZED,

19 And after taking some food,

He regained his strength.

Saul In Damascus And Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the Disciples in Damascus.

20 AT ONCE HE BEGAN TO PREACH IN THEN SYNAGOGUES

THT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

21 All those who heard him

Were Astonished and asked.

'ISN'T HE THE MAN WHO REAISED HAVOC IN JERUSALEM

AMONG THOSE WHO CALL ON THIS NAME?

AND HASN'T HE COME HERE

TO TAKE THEM AS PRISONERS

TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS?'

22 YET SAUL GREW MORE AND MORE POWERFUL

AND BAFFLED THE JEWS LIVING IN DAMASCUS

BY PROVING THAT JESUS ISTHE CHRIST.

23 After many days had gone by,

THE JEWS CONSPIRIED TO KILLHIM,

24 But Saul learned of their plan.

DAY AND NIGHT

THEY KEPT CLOSE WATCH ON THE CITY GATES

IN ORDER TO KILL HIM.

25 But his followers took him by night

And lowered him in a basket

Through an opening in the wall.

25 When he came to Jerusalem,

He tried to join the Disciples,

But they were all afraid of him,

Not believing that he really was a Disciple.

27 But Barnabas took him

And brought him to the Apostles.

He told them how Saul

On his Journey had seen the Lord

And that the Lord had spoken to him,

AND HOW IN DAMASCUS

HE HAD PREACHED FEARLESSLY

IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

28 So Saul stayed with them

And moved about freely in Jerusalem,

SPEAKING BOLDLY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.

29 He talked and Debated with the Grecian Jews,

BUT THEY TRIED TO KILL HIM.

30 When the Brothers learned of this,

They took him down to Caesarea

And sent him off to Tarsus.

31 THEN THE CHURCH

THROUGHOUT JUDEA, GALILEE AND SAMARIA

ENJOYED A TME OF PEACE.

IT WAS STRENGTHENED;

AND ENCOURAGED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,

IT GREW IN NUMBERS,

LIVING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD.

Aeneas And Dorcas

52 As Peter Traveled about the country,

He went to visit the saints in Lydda.

33 There he found a man named Aeneas,

A Paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years

34 AENEAS,' Peter said to him,

'JESUS CHRIST HEALS YOU.

GET UP AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR MAT.'

IMMEDIATELY AENEAS GOT UP.

35 ALL WHO LIVED IN LYDDA AND SHARON

SAW HIM AND TURNED TO THE LORD.

In Joppa there was a Disciple named Tabitha

(Which, when translated, is Dorcas),

Who was always doing Good

And helping the Poor.

37 About that time she became Sick and Died,

And her body was washed

And placed in an upstairs room.

38 Lydda was near Joppa;

So when the Disciples

Heard that Peter was in Lydda,

They sent two men to him

And urged him,

'PLEASE COME AT ONCE!'

39 Peter went with them,

And when he arrived

He was taken upstairs to the room.

All the widows stood around him,

Crying and showing him the robes

And other clothing that Dorcas had made

While she was still with them.

40 Peter sent them all out of the room;

THEN HE GOT DOWN ON HIS KNEES AND PRAYED.

TURNING TOWARD THE DEAD WOMAN,

He said,

'TABITHA, GET UP.'

SHE OPENED HER EYES,

AND SEEING PETER SHE SAT UP.

41 HE TOOK HER BY THE HAND

AND HELPED HER TO HER FEET.

Then he called the believers and the widows

AND PRESENTED HER TO THEM ALIVE.

42 THIS BECAME KNOWN ALL OVER JOPPA,

AND MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED IN THE LORD.

43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time

With a Tanner named Simon.

(Acts 9)