Acts

Paul’s Conversion

Meanwhile, Saul saw only violence and death for the Lord’s followers.

He went to the High Priest and asked for letters to the synagogues of Damascus that would authorize him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem anyone he found, man or woman, belonging to the Way.

As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a bright light suddenly flashed around him from the sky.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”

He asked:

“Who are you, Lord?”

The voice replied:

“I am Jesus, whom you persecute.

Now get up and go into the city; there, you will be told what you are to do.”

The men who were traveling with him stood there in silence: they had heard the sound but could see no one.

Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he could not see. They took him by the hand and led him to Damascus.

He was blind, and he did not eat or drink for three days.

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, to whom the Lord called in a vision:

“Ananias!”

He answered:

“Here I am, Lord!”

Then the Lord said to him:

“Go immediately to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul. You will find him praying,

for he has just seen in a vision that a man named Ananias has come in and laid his hands on him to restore his sight.”

Ananias replied:

“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man and all the harm he has caused to your saints in Jerusalem;

and now he has authority from the High Priest to arrest everyone who calls on your name.”

But the Lord said to him:

“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name to the non-Jewish nations, their kings, and the people of Israel as well.

I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

So Ananias left and went to the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said:

“Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see; he got up and was baptized.

Then he took some food and was strengthened. Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days,

and he soon began to proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God.

All who heard him were amazed and asked:

“Is this not the one who caused trouble in Jerusalem by calling on this Name? Did he come here to arrest those who call on it?”

But Saul grew stronger and more confident, and he baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

After a relatively long time, the Jews conspired together to kill him.

But Saul became aware of their plan: Day and night, they kept watch at the city gate to kill him.

So his disciples took him one night and let him down from the top of the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Paul in Jerusalem

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples there, but they were afraid of him because they could not believe that he was genuinely a disciple.

However, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on his way and the words the Lord had spoken to him. He also told them how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

Then Saul began living with them. He moved freely around Jerusalem and preached openly in the name of the Lord.

He also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they wanted to kill him.

When the believers learned of this, they took him to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Meanwhile, the Church was at peace. It was spreading across all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, with hearts focused on the Lord and comforted by the Holy Spirit.

Healing of Aeneas

As Peter traveled, he visited the saints in Lydda.

There he found Aeneas, a man paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.

Peter said to him:

“Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!”

The man immediately got up.

All the people in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Resurrection of Tabitha

There was a disciple in Joppa named Tabitha, which means Dorcas or Gazelle. She was always doing good deeds and helping the poor.

At that time, she fell ill and died. After washing her body, they laid her in the upstairs room.

Since Lydda is close to Joppa, the disciples, upon hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request:

“Please come to us without delay.”

So Peter went with them. When he arrived, they took him upstairs to the room. All the widows thickly gathered around him in tears, showing him the clothes Dorcas had made while she was with them.

Peter then had everyone leave the room and knelt to pray. Turning to the dead body, he said:

“Tabitha, stand up.”

She opened her eyes, looked at Peter, and sat up.

Peter then took her hand and helped her to her feet. Afterward, he called in the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

This news spread throughout all Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord because of it.

As for Peter, he stayed for some time in Joppa at the house of Simon, a tanner.