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But Saul, yet a blower of menaces and of beatings [yet a breather, or blower, of menaces, and beating, or slaying,] against the disciples of the Lord, came to the prince of priests,

and asked of him letters into Damascus, to the synagogues; that if he found any men or women of this life, he should lead them bound to Jerusalem.

And when he made his journey, it befelled [And when he made journey, it befell], that he came nigh to Damascus. And suddenly a light from heaven shone about him;

and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, what pursuest thou me?

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou pursuest. It is hard to thee, to kick against the prick [It is hard to thee, for to kick against the prick].

And he trembled, and wondered, and said, Lord, what wilt thou that I do [And he trembling and wondering, said, Lord, what wilt thou me to do]? And the Lord said to him, Rise up, and enter into the city, and it shall be said to thee, what it behooveth thee to do.

And those men that went with him, stood astonished; for they heard a voice, but they saw no man. [Forsooth those men that went with him, stood made afeared, or out of mind; soothly hearing a voice, forsooth seeing no man.]

And Saul rose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. And they drew him by the hands, and led him into Damascus.

And he was three days not seeing; and he ate not, neither drank.

10 And a disciple, Ananias by name, was at Damascus [Forsooth some disciple was at Damascus, by name Ananias]. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Lo! I, Lord.

11 And the Lord said to him, Rise thou, and go into a street that is called Rectus; and seek, in the house of Judas, Saul by name, of Tarsus. For lo! he prayeth;

12 and he saw a man, Ananias by name, entering and laying on him hands [entering and putting to him hands], that he receive sight.

13 And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard of many of this man, how great evil he did to thy saints in Jerusalem;

14 and this hath power of the princes of priests, to bind all men that call thy name to help.

15 And the Lord said to him, Go thou, for this is to me a vessel of choosing, that he bear my name before heathen men, and kings, and before the sons of Israel [that he bear my name before heathen men, and kings, and the sons of Israel].

16 For I shall show to him, how great things it behooveth him to suffer for my name.

17 And Ananias went, and entered into the house; and laid on him his hands, and said [and he putting to him the hands, said], Saul brother, the Lord Jesus sent me, that appeared to thee in the way, in which thou camest, that thou see, and be full-filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 And at once as the scales felled from his eyes, he received sight [And anon there felled from his eyes as scales, and he received sight]. And he rose, and was baptized.

19 And when he had taken meat, he was comforted. And he was by some days with the disciples, that were at Damascus.

20 And at once [And anon] he entered into the synagogues, and preached the Lord Jesus, for this is the Son of God.

21 And all men that heard him, wondered, and said, Whether this is not he that impugned in Jerusalem them that called to help this name? and hither he came for this thing [and hither for this thing he came], that he should lead them bound to the princes of priests?

22 But Saul much the more waxed strong, and confounded the Jews that dwelled at Damascus, and affirmed that this is Christ [affirming for this is Christ].

23 And when many days were filled [were fulfilled], Jews made a counsel, that they should slay him.

24 And the ambushes of them were made known to Saul. And they kept the gates day and night, that they should slay him.

25 But his disciples took him by night, and delivered him, and let him down in a basket by the wall.

26 And when he came into Jerusalem, he assayed to join him(self) to the disciples[a]; and all dreaded him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

27 But Barnabas took, and led him to the apostles, and told to them, how in the way he had seen the Lord, and that he spake to him, and how in Damascus he did trustily in the name of Jesus.

28 And he was with them, and entered, and went out in Jerusalem, and did trustily in the name of Jesus. [And he was with them, entering and going out in Jerusalem, doing trustily in the name of the Lord.]

29 And he spake with heathen men [And he spake to heathen men], and disputed with Greeks. And they sought to slay him.

30 Which thing when the brethren had known, they led him by night to Caesarea, and let him go to Tarsus.

31 And the church by all Judaea, and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, and was edified, and walked in the dread of the Lord, and was filled with comfort of the Holy Ghost [walking in the dread of the Lord, and was full-filled in the comfort of the Holy Ghost].

32 And it befelled, that Peter, the while he passed about all[b], came to the holy men that dwelled at Lydda.

33 And he found [there] a man, Aeneas by name, that from eight years he had lain bed-ridden; and he was sick in the palsy. [Forsooth he found there some man, Aeneas by name, from eight years lying in bed; the which was sick in palsy.]

34 And Peter said to him, Aeneas, the Lord Jesus Christ heal thee; rise thou, and array, either make ready, thee. And at once he rose [And anon he rose].

35 And all men that dwelt at Lydda, and at Saron [And all men that dwelled at Lydda, and Saron], saw him, which were converted to the Lord.

36 And in Joppa was a discipless, whose name was Tabitha, that is to say, Dorcas [Forsooth in Joppa was some discipless, by name Tabitha, which interpreted, is said Dorcas]. This was full of good works and almsdeeds, that she did.

37 And it befelled in those days, that she was sick, and died. And when they had washed her [Forsooth it was made in those days, that she was sick and died. Which when they had washed], they laid her in a solar.

38 And for Lydda was nigh Joppa [Forsooth when Lydda was nigh from Joppa], the disciples heard that Peter was therein, and sent two men to him, and prayed [praying], That thou tarry not to come to us.

39 And Peter rose up, and came with them. And when he was come, they led him into the solar. And all the widows stood about him, weeping, and showing coats and clothes, which Dorcas made to them.

40 And when all men were put withoutforth, Peter kneeled, and prayed. And he turned to the body, and said, Tabitha, arise thou [Tabitha, rise up]. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41 And he took her by the hand, and raised her [Forsooth he gave to her the hand, and raised her]. And when he had called the holy men and widows, he assigned her alive.

42 And it was made known by all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

43 And it was made, that many days he dwelled in Joppa, at one Simon, a currier [a currier, or tanner].

Footnotes

  1. Acts 9:26 Forsooth when he came to Jerusalem, he attempted, or assayed, to join him to the disciples
  2. Acts 9:32 Forsooth it was made, that Peter, while he passed by all

Saul’s Conversion(A)

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.(B) He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,(C) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,(D) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.(E) He fell to the ground and heard a voice(F) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”(G)

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound(H) but did not see anyone.(I) Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.(J) So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,(K) “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus(L) named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on(M) him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people(N) in Jerusalem.(O) 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests(P) to arrest all who call on your name.”(Q)

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument(R) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles(S) and their kings(T) and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”(U)

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on(V) Saul, he 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 see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”(W) 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,(X) 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples(Y) in Damascus.(Z) 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues(AA) that Jesus is the Son of God.(AB) 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?(AC) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”(AD) 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.(AE)

23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,(AF) 24 but Saul learned of their plan.(AG) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.(AH)

26 When he came to Jerusalem,(AI) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas(AJ) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,(AK) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.(AL) 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a](AM) but they tried to kill him.(AN) 30 When the believers(AO) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea(AP) and sent him off to Tarsus.(AQ)

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria(AR) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.(AS)

Aeneas and Dorcas

32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people(AT) who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you.(AU) Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon(AV) saw him and turned to the Lord.(AW)

36 In Joppa(AX) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good(AY) and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.(AZ) 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples(BA) heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows(BB) stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40 Peter sent them all out of the room;(BC) then he got down on his knees(BD) and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.”(BE) She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.(BF) 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 9:29 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture