The Damascus Road

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples^(A) of the Lord. He went to the high priest^{(B) 2} and requested letters^(C) from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way,^(D) he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As^(E) he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. ⁴ Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ “Who are You, Lord?” he said.

“I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting,” He replied. ⁶ “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one.^{(F) 8} Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. ⁹ He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.

Saul’s Baptism

¹⁰ There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Here I am, Lord!” he said.^(G)

¹¹ “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus^(H) named Saul, since he is praying there. ¹² In a vision^[a] he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.”^(I)

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.^{(J) 14} And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”^(K)

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument^(L) to take My name to Gentiles,^(M) kings, and the Israelites.^{(N) 16} I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!”^(O)

¹⁷ So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”^(P)

¹⁸ At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. ¹⁹ And after taking some food, he regained his strength.^(Q)

Saul Proclaiming the Messiah

Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. ²⁰ Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”^(R)

²¹ But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”^(S)

²² But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

⁹ In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.^{(A) 10} I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.^{(B) 11} In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them.^(C) I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them.

Paul’s Account of His Conversion and Commission

¹² “I was traveling to Damascus under^(D) these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. ¹³ King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’^[a](E)

¹⁵ “Then I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’

“And the Lord replied: ‘I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen^[b] and of what I will reveal to you.^{(F) 17} I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them^{(G) 18} to open their eyes^(H) so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.’^(I)