English Standard Version ESV
The Darby Translation DBY
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
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But Saul, still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
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and asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the way, both men and women, he might bring [them] bound to Jerusalem.
3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
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But as he was journeying, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus; and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven,
4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? ”
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and falling on the earth he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord? ” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
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And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he [said], *I* am Jesus, whom *thou* persecutest.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. ”
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But rise up and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
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But the men who were travelling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but beholding no one.
8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
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And Saul rose up from the earth, and his eyes being opened he saw no one. But leading [him] by the hand they brought him into Damascus.
9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
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And he was three days without seeing, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias. ”And he said, “Here I am, Lord. ”
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And there was a certain disciple in Damascus by name Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, [here am] I, 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 of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
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And the Lord [said] to him, Rise up and go into the street which is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas one by name Saul, [he is] of Tarsus: for, behold, he is praying,
12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. ”
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and has seen [in a vision] a man by name Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he should see.
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
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And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem;
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. ”
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and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name.
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
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And the Lord said to him, Go, for this [man] is an elect vessel to me, to bear my name before both nations and kings and [the] sons of Israel:
16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. ”
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for *I* will shew to him how much he must suffer for my name.
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying 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 be filled with the Holy Spirit. ”
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And Ananias went and entered into the house; and laying his hands upon him he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus that appeared to thee in the way in which thou camest, that thou mightest see, and be filled with [the] Holy Spirit.
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
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And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he saw, and rising up was baptised;
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
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and, having received food, got strength. And he was with the disciples who [were] in Damascus certain days.
20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God. ”
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And straightway in the synagogues he preached Jesus that *he* is the Son of God.
21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in 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? ”
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And all who heard were astonished and said, Is not this *he* who destroyed in Jerusalem those who called on this name, and here was come for this purpose, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
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But Saul increased the more in power, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
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Now when many days were fulfilled, the Jews consulted together to kill him.
24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,
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But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched also the gates both day and night, that they might kill him;
25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
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but the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when 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.
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And having arrived at Jerusalem he essayed to join himself to the disciples, and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
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But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
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And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem,
29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.
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and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and discussed with the Hellenists; but they sought to kill him.
30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
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And the brethren knowing it, brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
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The assemblies then throughout the whole of Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified and walking in the fear of the Lord, and were increased through the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
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Now it came to pass that Peter, passing through all [quarters], descended also to the saints who inhabited Lydda.
33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed.
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And he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name, who had been lying for eight years upon a couch, who was paralysed.
34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed. ” And immediately he rose.
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And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus, the Christ, heals thee: rise up, and make thy couch for thyself. And straightway he rose up.
35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
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And all who inhabited Lydda and the Saron saw him, who turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.
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And in Joppa there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, which being interpreted means Dorcas. She was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.
37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
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And it came to pass in those days that she grew sick and died; and, having washed her, they put her in [the] upper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay. ”
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But Lydda being near to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, beseeching him, Thou must not delay coming to us.
39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.
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And Peter rising up went with them, whom, when arrived, they brought up into the upper chamber; and all the widows stood by him weeping and shewing him the body-coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise. ” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
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But Peter, putting them all out, and kneeling down, prayed. And, turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.
41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
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And having given her [his] hand, he raised her up, and having called the saints and the widows, presented her living.
42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
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And it became known throughout the whole of Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.
43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
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And it came to pass that he remained many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.