Acts 9

Thomson^{(i) 1} As for Saul he was still breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Having gone to the chief priest, ² he asked letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he should find any of this way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ But when he was on the road and drawing near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. ⁴ And having fallen on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, Why persecutes! thou me?" ⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom thou art persecuting. It is hurting thyself to kick against sharp pointed goads." ⁶ Whereupon he trembling and in amaze, said, Lord, What wouldst thou have me do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the city and it will be told thee what thou must do." ⁷ Now the men who accompanied him were amazed, hearing indeed the sound, but seeing no one. ⁸ Then Saul arose from the earth. But as upon opening his eyes he saw nobody, they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰ Now there was in Damascus a certain disciple named Ananias, And to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Lord, here I am. ¹¹ Then the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street, which is called Straight street, and inquire at the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus; for behold he is praying, ¹² and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias, coming in and laying a hand on him that he may recover sight. ¹³ Upon which Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and he is here with authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke thy name. ¹⁵ And the Lord said to him, Go: for this person is a vessel which I have chosen to bear my name before nations and kings and the children of Israel. For ¹⁶ I will shew him what he must suffer for my name. ¹⁷ So Ananias went and entered the house, and having laid his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, The Lord, even Jesus who appeared to thee on the road as thou camest, hath sent me that thou mayst recover sight and be filled with a holy spirit. ¹⁸ Upon this there fell immediately from his eyes something like scales, and instantly he recovered sight. Then he arose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and having taken some food, he was strengthened. And Saul was some days with the brethren in Damascus, ²⁰ and forthwith, in the synagogues proclaimed Jesus that he is the son of God. ²¹ At which all that heard were surprised, and said, Is not this he who made havoc of them at Jerusalem, who invoked that name, and came hither on purpose to carry such bound to the chief priests? ²² But Saul was strengthened more and more, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this person is the C H R I S T . ²³ Now when many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired to kill him; ²⁴ and Saul was apprized of their plot. As they were watching the gates day and night to murder him, ²⁵ the disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket. ²⁶ And when Saul came to Jerusalem and tried to associate with the disciples, they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and told them, how he had on the road seen the Lord, who had spoken to him; and how he had spoken boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem, ²⁹ and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke also and disputed with the Hellenists, and they attempted to kill him. ³⁰ But when the brethren knew this they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him on to Tarsus. ³¹ Now then the congregations throughout all Judea and Galilee, and Samaria, were enjoying peace. Being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord, and the consolation of the holy spirit, they were multiplied. ³² And it came to pass that as Peter was passing through all, he came down also to the saints who dwelt at Lydda ³³ and found there a man, named .Aeneas, who was paralytic, and had been confined to his bed eight years. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus, The Christ, cureth thee. Arise and make thy bed." And he arose immediately. ³⁵ And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sarona saw him, and turned to the Lord. ³⁶ Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha [the signification of which in Greek, is Dorcas [a Roe.]] This woman abounded in good works and in acts of charity. ³⁷ And at this time she fell sick and died. And when they had washed her, they laid her out in an upper room. ³⁸ And as Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, intreating him to come to them without delay. ³⁹ Accordingly Peter arose and went with them. And when he came they took him up to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him, weeping and shewing the tunicks and mantles which Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ Then Peter, having put them all out, kneeled down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. Upon which she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, sat up. ⁴¹ Then Peter giving her his hand, helped her up, and having called the saints and the widows, presented her alive. ⁴² And this was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And after this he continued many days at Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.