Acts 9:1-25.
Acts 9:1-25 (Good News Translation)
1In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the
followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest
2and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in
Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the
Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them
back to Jerusalem.
3As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light
from the sky flashed around him.
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” he asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said.
6“But get up and go into the city, where you will be told
what you must do.”
7The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a
word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone.
8Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not
see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
9For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he
did not eat or drink anything.
10There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a
vision, in which the Lord said to him,
“Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11The Lord said to him,
Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas
ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying,
12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and
place his hands on him so that he might see again.
13Ananias answered,
Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the
terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem.
14And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief
priests to arrest all who worship you.
15The Lord said to him,
Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known
to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
16And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my
sake.
17So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed
his hands on him.
“Brother Saul,” he said,
“the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you
on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again
and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and
he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized;
19and after he had eaten, his strength came back.
Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus.
20He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that
Jesus was the Son of God.
21All who heard him were amazed and asked,
“Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who
worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of
arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”
22But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his
proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who
lived in Damascus could not answer him.
23After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made
plans to kill Saul,
24but he was told of their plan. Day and night they watched the
city gates in order to kill him.
25But one night Saul's followers took him and let him down
through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
1In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the
followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest
2and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in
Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the
Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them
back to Jerusalem.
3As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light
from the sky flashed around him.
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” he asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said.
6“But get up and go into the city, where you will be told
what you must do.”
7The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a
word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone.
8Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not
see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.
9For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he
did not eat or drink anything.
10There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a
vision, in which the Lord said to him,
“Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11The Lord said to him,
Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas
ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying,
12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and
place his hands on him so that he might see again.
13Ananias answered,
Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the
terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem.
14And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief
priests to arrest all who worship you.
15The Lord said to him,
Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known
to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
16And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my
sake.
17So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed
his hands on him.
“Brother Saul,” he said,
“the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you
on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again
and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and
he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized;
19and after he had eaten, his strength came back.
Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus.
20He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that
Jesus was the Son of God.
21All who heard him were amazed and asked,
“Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who
worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of
arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”
22But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his
proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who
lived in Damascus could not answer him.
23After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made
plans to kill Saul,
24but he was told of their plan. Day and night they watched the
city gates in order to kill him.
25But one night Saul's followers took him and let him down
through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
God bless you.
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