The Message Bible MSG
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master's disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest
1
Saulus autem adhuc inspirans minarum et caedis in discipulos Domini accessit ad principem sacerdotum
2 and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem.
2
et petiit ab eo epistulas in Damascum ad synagogas ut si quos invenisset huius viae viros ac mulieres vinctos perduceret in Hierusalem
3 He set off. When he got to the outskirts of Damascus, he was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light.
3
et cum iter faceret contigit ut adpropinquaret Damasco et subito circumfulsit eum lux de caelo
4 As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?"
4
et cadens in terram audivit vocem dicentem sibi Saule Saule quid me persequeris
5 He said, "Who are you, Master?" "I am Jesus, the One you're hunting down.
5
qui dixit quis es Domine et ille ego sum Iesus quem tu persequeris
6 I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you'll be told what to do next."
6
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7 His companions stood there dumbstruck - they could hear the sound, but couldn't see anyone -
7
sed surge et ingredere civitatem et dicetur tibi quid te oporteat facere viri autem illi qui comitabantur cum eo stabant stupefacti audientes quidem vocem neminem autem videntes
8 while Saul, picking himself up off the ground, found himself stone blind. They had to take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus.
8
surrexit autem Saulus de terra apertisque oculis nihil videbat ad manus autem illum trahentes introduxerunt Damascum
9 He continued blind for three days. He ate nothing, drank nothing.
9
et erat tribus diebus non videns et non manducavit neque bibit
10 There was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The Master spoke to him in a vision: "Ananias." "Yes, Master?" he answered.
10
erat autem quidam discipulus Damasci nomine Ananias et dixit ad illum in visu Dominus Anania at ille ait ecce ego Domine
11 "Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He's there praying.
11
et Dominus ad illum surgens vade in vicum qui vocatur Rectus et quaere in domo Iudae Saulum nomine Tarsensem ecce enim orat
12 He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again."
12
et vidit virum Ananiam nomine introeuntem et inponentem sibi manus ut visum recipiat
13 Ananias protested, "Master, you can't be serious. Everybody's talking about this man and the terrible things he's been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem!
13
respondit autem Ananias Domine audivi a multis de viro hoc quanta mala sanctis tuis fecerit in Hierusalem
14 And now he's shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us."
14
et hic habet potestatem a principibus sacerdotum alligandi omnes qui invocant nomen tuum
15 But the Master said, "Don't argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to Gentiles and kings and Jews.
15
dixit autem ad eum Dominus vade quoniam vas electionis est mihi iste ut portet nomen meum coram gentibus et regibus et filiis Israhel
16 And now I'm about to show him what he's in for - the hard suffering that goes with this job."
16
ego enim ostendam illi quanta oporteat eum pro nomine meo pati
17 So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
17
et abiit Ananias et introivit in domum et inponens ei manus dixit Saule frater Dominus misit me Iesus qui apparuit tibi in via qua veniebas ut videas et implearis Spiritu Sancto
18 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul's eyes - he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized,
18
et confestim ceciderunt ab oculis eius tamquam squamae et visum recepit et surgens baptizatus est
19 and sat down with them to a hearty meal.
19
et cum accepisset cibum confortatus est fuit autem cum discipulis qui erant Damasci per dies aliquot
20 but then went right to work, wasting no time, preaching in the meeting places that this Jesus was the Son of God.
20
et continuo in synagogis praedicabat Iesum quoniam hic est Filius Dei
21 They were caught off guard by this and, not at all sure they could trust him, they kept saying, "Isn't this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem among the believers? And didn't he come here to do the same thing - arrest us and drag us off to jail in Jerusalem for sentencing by the high priests?"
21
stupebant autem omnes qui audiebant et dicebant nonne hic est qui expugnabat in Hierusalem eos qui invocabant nomen istud et huc ad hoc venit ut vinctos illos duceret ad principes sacerdotum
22 But their suspicions didn't slow Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up now and he plowed straight into the opposition, disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah.
22
Saulus autem magis convalescebat et confundebat Iudaeos qui habitabant Damasci adfirmans quoniam hic est Christus
23 After this had gone on quite a long time, some Jews conspired to kill him,
23
cum implerentur autem dies multi consilium fecerunt Iudaei ut eum interficerent
24 but Saul got wind of it. They were watching the city gates around the clock so they could kill him.
24
notae autem factae sunt Saulo insidiae eorum custodiebant autem et portas die ac nocte ut eum interficerent
25 Then one night the disciples engineered his escape by lowering him over the wall in a basket.
25
accipientes autem discipuli eius nocte per murum dimiserunt eum submittentes in sporta
26 Back in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They didn't trust him one bit.
26
cum autem venisset in Hierusalem temptabat iungere se discipulis et omnes timebant eum non credentes quia esset discipulus
27 Then Barnabas took him under his wing. He introduced him to the apostles and stood up for him, told them how Saul had seen and spoken to the Master on the Damascus Road and how in Damascus itself he had laid his life on the line with his bold preaching in Jesus' name.
27
Barnabas autem adprehensum illum duxit ad apostolos et narravit illis quomodo in via vidisset Dominum et quia locutus est ei et quomodo in Damasco fiducialiter egerit in nomine Iesu
28 After that he was accepted as one of them, going in and out of Jerusalem with no questions asked, uninhibited as he preached in the Master's name.
28
et erat cum illis intrans et exiens in Hierusalem et fiducialiter agens in nomine Domini
29 But then he ran afoul of a group called Hellenists - he had been engaged in a running argument with them - who plotted his murder.
29
loquebatur quoque et disputabat cum Graecis illi autem quaerebant occidere eum
30 When his friends learned of the plot, they got him out of town, took him to Caesarea, and then shipped him off to Tarsus.
30
quod cum cognovissent fratres deduxerunt eum Caesaream et dimiserunt Tarsum
31 Things calmed down after that and the church had smooth sailing for a while. All over the country - Judea, Samaria, Galilee - the church grew. They were permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God. The Holy Spirit was with them, strengthening them. They prospered wonderfully.
31
ecclesia quidem per totam Iudaeam et Galilaeam et Samariam habebat pacem et aedificabatur ambulans in timore Domini et consolatione Sancti Spiritus replebatur
32 Peter went off on a mission to visit all the churches. In the course of his travels he arrived in Lydda and met with the believers there.
32
factum est autem Petrum dum pertransiret universos devenire et ad sanctos qui habitabant Lyddae
33 He came across a man - his name was Aeneas - who had been in bed eight years paralyzed.
33
invenit autem ibi hominem quendam nomine Aeneam ab annis octo iacentem in grabatto qui erat paralyticus
34 Peter said, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!" And he did it - jumped right out of bed.
34
et ait illi Petrus Aeneas sanat te Iesus Christus surge et sterne tibi et continuo surrexit
35 Everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him walking around and woke up to the fact that God was alive and active among them.
35
et viderunt illum omnes qui habitabant Lyddae et Saronae qui conversi sunt ad Dominum
36 Down the road a way in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, "Gazelle" in our language. She was well-known for doing good and helping out.
36
in Ioppe autem fuit quaedam discipula nomine Tabitas quae interpretata dicitur Dorcas haec erat plena operibus bonis et elemosynis quas faciebat
37 During the time Peter was in the area she became sick and died. Her friends prepared her body for burial and put her in a cool room.
37
factum est autem in diebus illis ut infirmata moreretur quam cum lavissent posuerunt eam in cenaculo
38 Some of the disciples had heard that Peter was visiting in nearby Lydda and sent two men to ask if he would be so kind as to come over.
38
cum autem prope esset Lydda ab Ioppe discipuli audientes quia Petrus esset in ea miserunt duos viros ad eum rogantes ne pigriteris venire usque ad nos
39 Peter got right up and went with them. They took him into the room where Tabitha's body was laid out. Her old friends, most of them widows, were in the room mourning. They showed Peter pieces of clothing the Gazelle had made while she was with them.
39
exsurgens autem Petrus venit cum illis et cum advenisset duxerunt illum in cenaculum et circumsteterunt illum omnes viduae flentes et ostendentes tunicas et vestes quas faciebat illis Dorcas
40 Peter put the widows all out of the room. He knelt and prayed. Then he spoke directly to the body: "Tabitha, get up."
40
eiectis autem omnibus foras Petrus ponens genua oravit et conversus ad corpus dixit Tabita surge at illa aperuit oculos suos et viso Petro resedit
41 He took her hand and helped her up. Then he called in the believers and widows, and presented her to them alive.
41
dans autem illi manum erexit eam et cum vocasset sanctos et viduas adsignavit eam vivam
42 When this became known all over Joppa, many put their trust in the Master.
42
notum autem factum est per universam Ioppen et crediderunt multi in Domino
43 Peter stayed on a long time in Joppa as a guest of Simon the Tanner.
43
factum est autem ut dies multos moraretur in Ioppe apud quendam Simonem coriarium
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.