Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest
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But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.
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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.
3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him.
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Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?"
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And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5 "Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you persecute," the voice said.
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And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;
6 "But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do."
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but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."
7 The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone.
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The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
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Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.
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And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, "Ananias!" "Here I am, Lord," he answered.
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Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."
11 The Lord said to him, "Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying,
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And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying,
12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again."
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and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."
13 Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem.
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But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem;
14 And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you."
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and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name."
15 The Lord said to him, "Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
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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 sons of Israel;
16 And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake."
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for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
17 So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. "Brother Saul," he said, "the Lord has sent me - Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
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So Anani'as 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 that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized;
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And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized,
19 and after he had eaten, his strength came back. Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus.
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and took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
20 He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.
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And in the synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, "He is the Son of God."
21 All who heard him were amazed and asked, "Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?"
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And all who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests."
22 But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not answer him.
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But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
23 After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made plans to kill Saul,
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When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
24 but he was told of their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
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but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him;
25 But one night Saul's followers took him and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
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but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 Saul went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples. But they would not believe that he was a disciple, and they were all afraid of him.
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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.
27 Then Barnabas came to his help and took him to the apostles. He explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him. He also told them how boldly Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
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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.
28 And so Saul stayed with them and went all over Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
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So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,
29 He also talked and disputed with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him.
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preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him.
30 When the believers found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
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And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesare'a, and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit it was strengthened and grew in numbers, as it lived in reverence for the Lord.
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So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Sama'ria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.
32 Peter traveled everywhere, and on one occasion he went to visit God's people who lived in Lydda.
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Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda.
33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had not been able to get out of bed for eight years.
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There he found a man named Aene'as, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed.
34 "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ makes you well. Get up and make your bed." At once Aeneas got up.
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And Peter said to him, "Aene'as, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose.
35 All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
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And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a woman named Tabitha, who was a believer. (Her name in Greek is Dorcas, meaning "a deer.") She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor.
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Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.
37 At that time she got sick and died. Her body was washed and laid in a room upstairs.
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In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
38 Joppa was not very far from Lydda, and when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him with the message, "Please hurry and come to us."
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Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay."
39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, he was taken to the room upstairs, where all the widows crowded around him, crying and showing him all the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was alive.
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So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.
40 Peter put them all out of the room, and knelt down and prayed; then he turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
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But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
41 Peter reached over and helped her get up. Then he called all the believers, including the widows, and presented her alive to them.
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And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive.
42 The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
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And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 Peter stayed on in Joppa for many days with a tanner of leather named Simon.
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And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.