New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest.

1But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

2He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

2and 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.

3As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.

3Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

4And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!

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 rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

7The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one!

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

8Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus.

8Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

9He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

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

10Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.

10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.

11And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,

12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”

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.”

13“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!

13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

14And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”

14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

15But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

15But 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 children of Israel.

16 And I will 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 went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

17So Ananias 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 so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

19Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.

19and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

20And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

20And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

21All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

21And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

22Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

22But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

23After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.

23When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,

24They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.

24but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,

25So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

26And 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.

27Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

27But 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.

28So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

28So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

29He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.

29And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.

30When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

30And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Dorcas

31So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

32Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda.

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

33There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.

33There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed.

34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly.

34And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose.

35Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.

35And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

36There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas ). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.

36Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.

37About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room.

37In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

38But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”

38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.”

39So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.

39So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.

40But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!

40But Peter put them all outside, 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.

41He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.

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

42The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.

42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

43And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.

43And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.