| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest | 1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord's disciples, went to the high priest |
| 2and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. | 2and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. |
| 3As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. | 3As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. |
| 4Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" | 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" |
| 5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul said. "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting," he replied. | 5So he said, "Who are you, Lord?" He replied, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! |
| 6"But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." | 6But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do." |
| 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. | 7(Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.) |
| 8Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. | 8So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus. |
| 9He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink. | 9For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything. |
| 10There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." "Here I am, Lord," he replied. | 10Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias," and he replied, "Here I am, Lord." |
| 11"Get up and go to the street called Straight," the Lord said to him, "to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. | 11Then the Lord told him, "Get up and go to the street called 'Straight,' and at Judas' house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, |
| 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight." | 12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again." |
| 13"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. | 13But Ananias replied, "Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, |
| 14And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." | 14and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on your name!" |
| 15But the Lord said to him, "Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. | 15But the Lord said to him, "Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people 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 the sake of my name." |
| 17Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." | 17So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." |
| 18At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. | 18Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, |
| 19And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time. | 19and after taking some food, his strength returned. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, |
| 20Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: "He is the Son of God." | 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "This man is the Son of God." |
| 21All who heard him were astounded and said, "Isn't this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?" | 21All who heard him were amazed and were saying, "Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?" |
| 22But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. | 22But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. |
| 23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, | 23Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him, |
| 24but Saul learned of their plot. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, | 24but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him. |
| 25but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. | 25But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket. |
| 26When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple. | 26When he arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple. |
| 27Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. | 27But Barnabas took Saul, brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. |
| 28Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. | 28So he was staying with them, associating openly with them in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. |
| 29He conversed and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. | 29He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him. |
| 30When the brothers found out, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. | 30When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. |
| 31So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. | 31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace and thus was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers. |
| 32As Peter was traveling from place to place, he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. | 32Now as Peter was traveling around from place to place, he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. |
| 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. | 33He found there a man named Aeneas who had been confined to a mattress for eight years because he was paralyzed. |
| 34Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed," and immediately he got up. | 34Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Get up and make your own bed!" And immediately he got up. |
| 35So all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. | 35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. |
| 36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. | 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means Dorcas). She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. |
| 37About that time she became sick and died. After washing her, they placed her in a room upstairs. | 37At that time she became sick and died. When they had washed her body, they placed it in an upstairs room. |
| 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him who urged him, "Don't delay in coming with us." | 38Because Lydda was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Come to us without delay." |
| 39Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. | 39So Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived they brought him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him, crying and showing him the tunics and other clothing Dorcas used to make while she was with them. |
| 40Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. | 40But Peter sent them all outside, knelt down, and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. |
| 41He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive. | 41He gave her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her alive. |
| 42This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. | 42This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. |
| 43Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with Simon, a leather tanner. | 43So Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a man named Simon, a tanner. |
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