Acts, 9

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

1. But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to 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 asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to 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. Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him.

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 ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

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

5. And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;

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

6. but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

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

7. The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

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. Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so 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 for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

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. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am, 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 to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying,

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

12. and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain 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. But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has 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 has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon 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 to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

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

16. for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

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. So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

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 something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose 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 took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

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

20. And in the synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, "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. And all who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before 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 all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

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

23. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted 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 plot became known to Saul. They were watching 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. but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him 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 he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe 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 to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly 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. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,

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

29. preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him.

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

30. And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesare'a, and sent him off 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. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Sama'ria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.

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

32. Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda.

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

33. There he found a man named Aene'as, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed.

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

34. And Peter said to him, "Aene'as, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose.

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

35. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they 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 disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.

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. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

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. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay."

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. So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other 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 outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." 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. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive.

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

42. And it became 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 he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.