Acts, 9

1. Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest

1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2. and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men or women, that he might find.

2. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3. It happened that while he was travelling to Damascus and approaching the city, suddenly a light from heaven shone all round him.

3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'

4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5. 'Who are you, Lord?' he asked, and the answer came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

5. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6. Get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.'

6. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7. The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one.

7. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

8. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing at all, and they had to lead him into Damascus by the hand.

8. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus.

9. For three days he was without his sight and took neither food nor drink.

9. And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

10. There was a disciple in Damascus called Ananias, and he had a vision in which the Lord said to him, 'Ananias!' When he replied, 'Here I am, Lord,'

10. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I [am here], Lord.

11. the Lord said, 'Get up and go to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judas for someone called Saul, who comes from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying,

11. And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for [one] called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

12. and has seen a man called Ananias coming in and laying hands on him to give him back his sight.'

12. And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting [his] hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

13. But in response, Ananias said, 'Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your holy people in Jerusalem.

13. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

14. He has come here with a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.'

14. And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

15. The Lord replied, 'Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;

15. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

16. I myself will show him how much he must suffer for my name.'

16. For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

17. Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

17. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18. It was as though scales fell away from his eyes and immediately he was able to see again. So he got up and was baptised,

18. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

19. and after taking some food he regained his strength. After he had spent only a few days with the disciples in Damascus,

19. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

20. he began preaching in the synagogues, 'Jesus is the Son of God.'

20. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

21. All his hearers were amazed, and said, 'Surely, this is the man who did such damage in Jerusalem to the people who invoke this name, and who came here for the sole purpose of arresting them to have them tried by the chief priests?'

21. But all that heard [him] were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

22. Saul's power increased steadily, and he was able to throw the Jewish colony at Damascus into complete confusion by the way he demonstrated that Jesus was the Christ.

22. But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

23. Some time passed, and the Jews worked out a plot to kill him,

23. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

24. but news of it reached Saul. They were keeping watch at the gates day and night in order to kill him,

24. But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

25. but the disciples took him by night and let him down from the wall, lowering him in a basket.

25. Then the disciples took him by night, and let [him] down by the wall in a basket.

26. When he got to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him: they could not believe he was really a disciple.

26. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

27. Barnabas, however, took charge of him, introduced him to the apostles, and explained how the Lord had appeared to him and spoken to him on his journey, and how he had preached fearlessly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

27. But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

28. Saul now started to go round with them in Jerusalem, preaching fearlessly in the name of the Lord.

28. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

29. But after he had spoken to the Hellenists and argued with them, they became determined to kill him.

29. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

30. When the brothers got to know of this, they took him to Caesarea and sent him off from there to Tarsus.

30. [Which] when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

31. The churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left in peace, building themselves up and living in the fear of the Lord; encouraged by the Holy Spirit, they continued to grow.

31. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

32. It happened that Peter visited one place after another and eventually came to God's holy people living down in Lydda.

32. And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all [quarters], he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.

33. There he found a man called Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.

33. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.

34. Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you: get up and make your bed.' Aeneas got up immediately;

34. And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

35. everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord.

35. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

36. At Jaffa there was a disciple called Tabitha, or in Greek, Dorcas, who never tired of doing good or giving to those in need.

36. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

37. But it happened that at this time she became ill and died, and they washed her and laid her out in an upper room.

37. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid [her] in an upper chamber.

38. Lydda is not far from Jaffa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to urge him, 'Come to us without delay.'

38. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring [him] that he would not delay to come to them.

39. Peter went back with them immediately, and on his arrival they took him to the upper room, where all the widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was with them.

39. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

40. Peter sent everyone out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, 'Tabitha, stand up.' She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up.

40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning [him] to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41. Peter helped her to her feet, then he called in the members of the congregation and widows and showed them she was alive.

41. And he gave her [his] hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

42. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord.

42. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

43. Peter stayed on some time in Jaffa, lodging with a leather-tanner called Simon.

43. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.