^aNow ¹Saul, still ^bbreathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord and relentless in his search for believers, went to the ²high priest, 2 and he asked for ^aletters of authority from him to ^bthe synagogues at ^cDamascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to ^1dthe Way believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah, men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound with chains to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled he approached Damascus, and ^asuddenly a light from heaven flashed around him displaying the glory and majesty of Christ; 4 and ^ahe fell to the ground and heard a voice from heaven saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?” 5 And Saul said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 now get up and go into the city, and ^ayou will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him were terrified and ^astood speechless, ^bhearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but ^athough his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into ^bDamascus. 9 And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

10 Now in ^aDamascus there was a disciple named ^bAnanias; and the Lord said to him in ^ca vision, “Ananias.” And he answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called ¹Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from ^aTarsus named Saul; for he is praying there, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and ^aplace his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, especially ^ahow much suffering and evil he has brought on ^bYour saints (God’s people) at Jerusalem; 14 and here in Damascus he ^ahas authority from the high priests to put in chains all who ^bcall on Your name confessing You as Savior.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ^athis man is a deliberately chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before ^bthe Gentiles and ^ckings and the sons of Israel; 16 for ^aI will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias left and entered the house, and he ^alaid his hands on Saul and said, “^bBrother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came to Damascus, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be ^cfilled with the Holy Spirit in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles.” 18 Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took some food and was strengthened.Saul Begins to Preach Christ

^aFor several days afterward Saul remained with ^bthe disciples who were at Damascus. 20 And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus ^ain the synagogues, saying, “This Man is ^bthe Son of God the promised Messiah!” 21 All those who heard him continued to be amazed and said, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem ^aattacked those who ^bcalled on this name of Jesus, and had come here to Damascus for the express purpose of bringing them bound with chains before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining theological evidence and proving with Scripture that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) .

23 After ^aconsiderable time had passed about three years or so, ^bthe Jews plotted together to kill him, 24 but ^atheir plot became known to Saul. ^bThey were also watching the city’s gates day and night so they could kill him; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

26 ^aWhen he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 However, ^1aBarnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and described to them how Saul had ^bseen the Lord on the road to Damascus, and how He had spoken to him, and how ^cat Damascus Saul had ^dpreached openly and spoken confidently in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them, moving around freely as one among them in Jerusalem, ^aspeaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He was talking and arguing with the ^1aHellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) ; but they were attempting to kill him. 30 When ^athe brothers found out about the plot, they brought him down to ^1bCaesarea Maritima and ^csent him off to ^dTarsus his home town.

31 So ^athe church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace without persecution, being built up in wisdom, virtue, and faith; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to grow in numbers.

32 Now as Peter was traveling throughout the land, he went down to visit ^athe ¹saints (God’s people) who lived at ^bLydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 Then all who lived at ^aLydda and the plain of ^bSharon saw what had happened to him, and they ^cturned to the Lord.

36 Now in ^1aJoppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, (which translated into Greek means Dorcas). She was rich in acts of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37 During that time it happened that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an ^aupstairs room. 38 Since Lydda was near ^aJoppa, ^bthe disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter got up at once and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the ^aupstairs room; and all the ^bwidows stood beside him, weeping and showing him all the ¹tunics and robes that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter ^asent them all out of the room and ^bknelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “^cTabitha, arise!” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and helped her up; and then he called in ^athe ¹saints (God’s people) and ^bthe widows, and he presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over ^aJoppa, and ^bmany came to believe in the Lord that is, to adhere to and trust in and rely on Jesus as Christ and Savior. 43 And so it was that Peter stayed in ^aJoppa for many days with Simon, ^1ba tanner.