Acts 9:1-20

Moffatt(i) 1 Meanwhile Saul still breathed threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus empowering him to put any man or woman in chains whom he could find belonging to the Way, and bring them to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus in the course of his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed round him; 4 he dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 "Who are you?" he asked. "I am Jesus," he said, "and you persecute me. 6 Get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you have to do." 7 His fellow-travellers stood speechless, for they heard the voice but they could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open he could see nothing; so they took his hand and led him to Damascus. 9 For three days he remained sightless, he neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple called Ananias in Damascus. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He said, "I am here, Lord." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Go away to the street called 'The Straight Street,' and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus called Saul. He is praying at this very moment, 12 and he has seen a man called Ananias enter and lay his hands upon him to bring back his sight." 13 "But, Lord," Ananias answered, "many people have told me about all the mischief this man has done to thy saints at Jerusalem! 14 And in this city too he has authority from the high priests to put anyone in chains who invokes thy Name!" 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go; I have chosen him to be the means of bringing my Name before the Gentiles and their kings as well as before the sons of Israel. 16 I will show him all he has to suffer for the sake of my Name." 17 So Ananias went off and entered the house, laying his hands on him with these words, "Saul, my brother, I have been sent by the Lord, by Jesus who appeared to you on the road, to let you regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit." 18 In a moment something like scales fell from his eyes, he regained his sight, got up and was baptized. 19 Then he took some food and felt strong again. For several days he stayed at Damascus with the disciples. 20 He lost no time in preaching throughout the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God —