Berean Study Bible | International Standard Version |
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest | 1Meanwhile, still spewing death threats against the Lord's disciples, Saul went to the high priest. |
2and requested 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. | 2He asked him for letters to take with him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. |
3As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. | 3As Saul traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. |
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” | 4He dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" |
5“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. | 5He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice said, "I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting. |
6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” | 6Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do." |
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone. | 7Meanwhile, the men who were traveling with Saul were standing speechless, for they heard the voice but didn't see anyone. |
8Saul 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. | 8When Saul got up off the ground, he couldn't see anything, even though his eyes were open. So his companions took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. |
9For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything. | 9For three days he couldn't see, and he didn't eat or drink anything. |
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered. | 10Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision, "Ananias!" He answered, "Here I am, Lord." |
11“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. | 11The Lord told him, "Get up, go to the street called Straight, and in the home of Judas look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. At this very moment he's praying. |
12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” | 12He has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so he would see again." |
13But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. | 13But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard many people tell how much evil this man has done to your saints in Jerusalem. |
14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” | 14He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on your name." |
15“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. | 15But the Lord told him, "Go, because he's my chosen instrument to carry my name to unbelievers, to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel. |
16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” | 16since I'm going to show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake." |
17So 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.” | 17So Ananias left and went to that house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." |
18At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized, | 18All at once something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, |
19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. | 19and after eating some food, he felt strong again. For several days he stayed with the disciples in Damascus. |
20Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.” | 20He immediately started to preach about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "This is the Son of God." |
21All who heard him were astounded 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?” | 21Everyone who heard him was astonished and said, "This is the man who harassed those who were calling on Jesus' name in Jerusalem, isn't it? Didn't he come here to bring them in chains to the high priests?" |
22But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. | 22But Saul grew more and more persuasive, and continued to confound the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this man was the Messiah. |
23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, | 23After several days had gone by, the Jewish leaders plotted to murder Saul, |
24but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him. | 24but their plot became known to him. They were even watching the gates day and night to murder him, |
25One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall. | 25but his disciples took him one night and let him down through the city wall by lowering him in a basket. |
26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. | 26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they all were afraid of him because they wouldn't believe he was a disciple. |
27Then 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. | 27Barnabas, however, introduced Saul to the apostles, telling them how on the road Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how courageously he had spoken in the name of Jesus in Damascus. |
28So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. | 28So he freely circulated among them in Jerusalem, speaking courageously in the name of the Lord. |
29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. | 29He kept talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were bent on murdering him. |
30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. | 30When the brothers found out about the plot, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. |
31Then 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. | 31So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace. As it continued to be built up and to live in the fear of the Lord, it kept increasing in numbers through the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. |
32As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. | 32Now when Peter was going around among all of the disciples, he also visited the saints living in Lydda. |
33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. | 33There he found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. |
34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up, | 34Peter told him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Messiah is healing you. Get up and put away your mat!" At once he got up, |
35and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. | 35and all the people who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. |
36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity. | 36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was known for her good actions and acts of charity that she was always doing. |
37At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room. | 37At that time, she got sick and died. After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room. |
38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.” | 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him and begged him, "Come here quickly!" |
39So 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. | 39So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him upstairs. All the widows gathered around Peter, crying and showing him all the shirts and coats Dorcas had made while she was still with them. |
40Then 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. | 40Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. |
41Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive. | 41He extended his hand and helped her get up. Then he called the saints, including the widows, and gave her back to them alive. |
42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. | 42What happened became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. |
43And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. | 43Meanwhile, Peter stayed in Joppa for several days with Simon, a leatherworker. |
The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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