Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest

1Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, 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.

2and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

3As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”

4and he fell 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.

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

6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

6but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do."

7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.

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

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.

8Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

9For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.

9And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.

10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "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.

11And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight."

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 from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;

14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

14and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind 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 said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

16for I will 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 departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight 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,

18And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and 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 he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,

20Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”

20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He 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?”

21All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief 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 kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,

23When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him,

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 Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;

25One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.

25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large 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 he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that 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.

27But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

28So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

28And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

29And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.

30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

30But when the brethren learned of it, they brought 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 all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

32As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.

32Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at 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 had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.

34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,

34Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up.

35and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

35And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they 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.

36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

37At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.

37And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper 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, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us."

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 arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was 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.

40But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise." And 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.

41And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

42It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

43And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

43And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

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