CHAPTER 9
Meanwhile,
Saul
was still
breathing out
threats
of murder
against
the
Lord’s
disciples.
He went
to the
high priest
to ask for
letters
to
the
synagogues
in
Damascus,
so that
if
he found
any
men
or
women
belonging
to the
Way,
he could bring them as prisoners
to
Jerusalem.
Saul
got up
from
the
ground,
but
when he opened
his
eyes
he could not see
a thing.
So
they led him by the hand
into
Damascus.
In
Damascus
there was
a
disciple
named
Ananias.
The
Lord
spoke
to
him
in
a vision,
“Ananias!”
“Here
I am,
Lord,”
he answered.
“Get up!”
the
Lord
told
him.
“Go
to
the house
of Judas
on
Straight
Street
and
ask for
a man from Tarsus
named
Saul,
for
he is
praying.
In
a vision
he has seen
a man
named
Ananias
come
and
place
his
hands
on him
to
restore his sight.”
But
Ananias
answered,
“Lord,
many people
have told me
about
this
man
and all
the harm
he has done
to
Your
saints
in
Jerusalem.
“Go!”
said
the
Lord.
“This man
is
My
chosen
instrument
to carry
My
name
before
the
Gentiles
and their
kings,
and
before the people
of Israel.
So
Ananias
went
to the
house,
and when
he arrived,
he placed
his
hands
on
Saul.
“Brother
Saul,”
he said,
“the
Lord
Jesus,
who
appeared
to you
on
the
road
as
you were coming here,
has sent
me
so that
you may see again
and
be filled
with the Holy
Spirit.”
At that instant,
something like
scales
fell
from
Saul’s
eyes,
and
his sight was restored.
He got up
and was baptized,
and
after taking
some food,
he regained his strength.
And
he spent
several
days
with
the
disciples
in
Damascus.
All
who
heard him
were amazed
and
asked,
“Isn’t
this
the man who
wreaked havoc
in
Jerusalem
on those
who call on
this
name?
And
hasn’t he come
here
to
take
them
as prisoners
to
the
chief priests?"
But
Saul
was empowered
all the more,
and
he confounded
the
Jews
living
in
Damascus
by proving
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ.
One night,
however,
his
disciples
took him
and lowered him
in
a basket
through a window
in the
wall.
When
Saul arrived
in
Jerusalem,
he tried
to join
the
disciples,
but
they were all afraid of
him,
not
believing
that
he was
a disciple.
Then
Barnabas
brought him
to
the
apostles
and
described
how
Saul had seen
the
Lord,
who
spoke
to him
on
the
road to Damascus,
and
how
Saul had spoken boldly
in
that city
in
the
name
of Jesus.
So
Saul stayed
with
them,
moving about freely
in
Jerusalem
and speaking boldly
in
the
name
of the
Lord.
Then
the
church
throughout
Judea,
Galilee,
and
Samaria
experienced
a time of peace.
It grew in strength
and
numbers,
living
in the
fear
of the
Lord
and
the
encouragement
of the
Holy
Spirit.
“Aeneas,”
Peter
said
to him,
“Jesus
Christ
heals
you!
Get up
and
put away your mat.”
Immediately
Aeneas got up,
In
Joppa
there was
a
disciple
named
Tabitha
(which
is translated
as
Dorcas),
who
was
always
occupied with
works
of kindness
and
charity.
At
that
time,
however,
she became sick
and
died,
and
her body was washed
and placed
in
an upper room.
Since
Lydda
was
near
Joppa,
the
disciples
heard
that
Peter
was
there
and sent
two
men
to urge
him,
“Come
to
us
without
delay."
So
Peter
got up
and went with
them.
On his arrival,
they took him
to
the
upper room.
All
the
widows
stood around
him,
weeping
and
showing him
the tunics
and
other clothing
that
Dorcas
had made
while she was still
with
them.
Then
Peter
sent
them all
out of the room.
He knelt down
and prayed,
and
turning
toward
her
body,
he said,
“Tabitha,
get up!”
She opened
her
eyes,
and
seeing
Peter,
she sat up.
Peter took
her
by the hand
and helped her up.
Then
he called
the
saints
and
widows
and presented
her to them
alive.