The Conversion of Saul
1 But Saul,
1still
2breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to
3the high priest
2
and asked him for letters
4to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to
5the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3
6Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
4
And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
7me? ”
5
And he said, “Who are you, Lord? ” And he said, “I am Jesus,
8whom you are persecuting.
6
But
9rise and enter the city, and you will be told
10what you are to do. ”
7
11The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
12hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8
Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened,
13he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9
And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named
14Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias. ”And he said,
15“Here I am, Lord. ”
11
And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man
16of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
12
and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and
17lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. ”
13
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man,
18how much evil he has done to
19your
20saints at Jerusalem.
14
And here he has authority from
21the chief priests to bind all who
22call on your name. ”
15
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for
23he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name
24before the Gentiles and
25kings and the children of Israel.
16
For
26I will show him how much
27he must suffer
28for the sake of my name. ”
17
So
29Ananias departed and entered the house. And
30laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and
31be filled with the Holy Spirit. ”
18
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and
32he regained his sight. Then
33he rose and was baptized;
19
and
34taking food, he was strengthened. For
35some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues
20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying,
36“He is the Son of God. ”
21
And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who
37made havoc
38in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests? ”
22
But Saul
39increased all the more in strength, and
40confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving
41that Jesus was the Christ.
Saul Escapes from Damascus
23 42When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
24
but their
43plot became known to Saul.
44They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,
25
but his disciples took him by night and
45let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26 And
46when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
27
But
47Barnabas took him and
48brought him to the apostles and declared to them
49how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and
50how at Damascus he had
51preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28
So he went
52in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
29
And he spoke and disputed against
53the Hellenists. But
54they were seeking to kill him.
30
And when
55the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off
56to Tarsus.
31
So
57the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And
58walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,
59it multiplied.