﻿Acts.
Chapter 9.
Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 
and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he could bring them bound to Jerusalem. 
As he traveled and drew near Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 
He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 
But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 
The men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 
Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 
For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank. 
Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at Judas’s house ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. Look, he is praying, 
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.” 
Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 
And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 
For I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 
So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, 
and after taking food he regained his strength. He stayed for some days with the disciples in Damascus, 
and immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 
All who heard him were astonished and said, “Isn’t this the man who devastated those in Jerusalem who call on this name? Hadn’t he come here to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 
But Saul grew stronger and stronger and confounded the Jews living in Damascus by demonstrating that Jesus is the Christ. 
After many days had passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him, 
but Saul learned of their plot. They were also watching the gates day and night to kill him. 
But his disciples took him by night and lowered him through the wall, letting him down in a basket. 
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing he was a disciple. 
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road, how the Lord had spoken to him, and how he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 
So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 
He spoke and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him. 
When the brothers learned of this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 
So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was being built up. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it increased in number. 
As Peter traveled through all those places, he also went down to the saints living in Lydda. 
There he found a man named Aeneas who had been lying on a mat for eight years because he was paralyzed. 
Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 
All who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which translated is Dorcas. She abounded in good works and in the alms she gave. 
In those days she became sick and died. After washing her body, they laid it in an upstairs room. 
Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to urge him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 
Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him to the upstairs room. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks Dorcas had made while she was with them. 
Peter sent everyone outside, knelt down, and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 
He gave her his hand and helped her stand. Then he called the saints and the widows and presented her alive. 
This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 
Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a man named Simon, a tanner. 
