New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1Now 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 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 he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down 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 saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting 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. 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 get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do."

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

7The men who traveled 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 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.

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

9And he was three days 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; and 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, "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,

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 harm he did 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 bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons 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 My name's sake."

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 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."

18Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then 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;

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 he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,

20And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed 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 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?”

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?"

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 kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

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

23When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with 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 also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;

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 large 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!

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 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 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 the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching 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 debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.

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

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

30But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away 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 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.

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

32Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, 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, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed.

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

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

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

35And all who lived at 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 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.

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

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, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us."

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 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.

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 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.

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; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

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

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

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

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

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.

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