King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
1
In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
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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.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
3
As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him.
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
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He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?"
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said,I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
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"Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you persecute," the voice said.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him,Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
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"But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do."
7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
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The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone.
8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
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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.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
9
For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
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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.
11 And the Lord said unto him,Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
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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,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
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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."
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
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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.
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
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And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you."
15 But the Lord said unto him,Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
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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.
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
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And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake."
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
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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."
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
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At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized;
19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
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and after he had eaten, his strength came back. Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus.
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
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He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
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?"
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
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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.
23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
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After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made plans to kill Saul,
24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
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but he was told of their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
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But one night Saul's followers took him and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
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.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
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.
28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
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And so Saul stayed with them and went all over Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
29
He also talked and disputed with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him.
30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
30
When the believers found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
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.
32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.
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Peter traveled everywhere, and on one occasion he went to visit God's people who lived in Lydda.
33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.
33
There he met a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had not been able to get out of bed for eight years.
34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
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"Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ makes you well. Get up and make your bed." At once Aeneas got up.
35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
35
All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
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.
37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
37
At that time she got sick and died. Her body was washed and laid in a room upstairs.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
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."
39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
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.
40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
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.
41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.
41
Peter reached over and helped her get up. Then he called all the believers, including the widows, and presented her alive to them.
42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
42
The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
43
Peter stayed on in Joppa for many days with a tanner of leather named Simon.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.