| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Meanwhile, still spewing death threats against the Lord's disciples, Saul went to the high priest. | 1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord's disciples, went to the high priest |
| 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. | 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 Saul traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. | 3As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. |
| 4He dropped to the ground and 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?" |
| 5He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice said, "I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting. | 5So he said, "Who are you, Lord?" He replied, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! |
| 6Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do." | 6But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do." |
| 7Meanwhile, the men who were traveling with Saul were standing speechless, for they heard the voice but didn't see anyone. | 7(Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.) |
| 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. | 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. |
| 9For three days he couldn't see, and he didn't eat or drink anything. | 9For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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, |
| 12He has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so he would see again." | 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." |
| 13But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard many people tell how much evil this man 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, |
| 14He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains 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 told him, "Go, because he's my chosen instrument to carry my name to unbelievers, to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel. | 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. |
| 16since I'm going to show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake." | 16For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." |
| 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." | 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." |
| 18All at once something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. 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 eating some food, he felt strong again. For several days he stayed with the disciples in Damascus. | 19and after taking some food, his strength returned. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, |
| 20He immediately started to preach about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "This is the Son of God." | 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "This man is the Son of God." |
| 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?" | 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 more and more persuasive, and continued to confound the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this man was 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 several days had gone by, the Jewish leaders plotted to murder Saul, | 23Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him, |
| 24but their plot became known to him. They were even watching the gates day and night to murder 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 one night and let him down through the city wall by lowering him in a basket. | 25But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket. |
| 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. | 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, 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. | 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. |
| 28So he freely circulated among them in Jerusalem, speaking courageously 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 kept talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were bent on murdering him. | 29He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him. |
| 30When the brothers found out about the plot, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away 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 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. | 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. |
| 32Now when Peter was going around among all of the disciples, he also visited the saints living 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 told him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Messiah is healing you. Get up and put away your mat!" At once 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. |
| 35and all the people 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 in Greek is Dorcas. She was known for her good actions and acts of charity that she was always doing. | 36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means Dorcas). She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. |
| 37At that time, she got sick and died. After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room. | 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 and begged him, "Come here quickly!" | 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." |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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 extended his hand and helped her get up. Then he called the saints, including the widows, and gave her back to them alive. | 41He gave her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her alive. |
| 42What happened became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. | 42This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. |
| 43Meanwhile, Peter stayed in Joppa for several days with Simon, a leatherworker. | 43So Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a man named Simon, a tanner. |
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