The Word Am I

The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 9 -

(Acts 22:1–21; Acts 26:1–23)
1
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
2
and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3
As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
5
“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.(a)
6
“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
8
Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing.(b) So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9
For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

10
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11
“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12
In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13
But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14
And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”
15
“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
16
I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”
17
So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “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.”
18
At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,
19
and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Saul Preaches at Damascus

20
Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”
21
All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
22
But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

The Escape from Damascus

23
After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,
24
but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
25
One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.(c)

Saul in Jerusalem

26
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27
Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.
28
So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
29
He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews,(d) but they tried to kill him.
30
When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

The Healing of Aeneas

31
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
32
As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
33
There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.
34
“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,
35
and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

The Raising of Tabitha

(John 11:38–44)
36
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas),(e) who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.
37
At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.
38
Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”
39
So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40
Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
41
Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.
42
This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
43
And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

Footnotes

(a)9:5 TR includes “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
(b)9:8 Literally he could see nothing or he could see no one
(c)9:25 Literally through the wall; see 2 Corinthians 11:33.
(d)9:29 Or Hellenists
(e)9:36 Tabitha in Aramaic and Dorcas in Greek both mean gazelle.
(Acts 22:1–21; Acts 26:1–23)
1
But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2
and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3
As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
4
He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5
He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. (a)
6
But (b) rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”
7
The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.
8
Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9
He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

10
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
11
The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah (c) for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
12
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
13
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
14
Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15
But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
16
For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17
Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.
19
He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

Saul Preaches at Damascus

20
Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
21
All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
22
But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

The Escape from Damascus

23
When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,
24
but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
25
but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

26
When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28
He was with them entering into (d) Jerusalem,
29
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.(e) He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,(f) but they were seeking to kill him.
30
When the brothers(g) knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

The Healing of Aeneas

31
So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32
As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
33
There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed.
34
Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose.
35
All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

The Raising of Tabitha

(John 11:38–44)
36
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas.(h) This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.
37
In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
38
As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men (i) to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.
39
Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40
Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41
He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42
This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43
He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

Footnotes

(a)9:5 TR adds “It’s hard for you to kick against the cattle prods.”
(b)9:6 TR omits “But”
(c)9:11 or, Judas
(d)9:28 TR and NU add “and going out”
(e)9:29 TR and NU omit “Jesus” and reverse the order of verses 28 &29.
(f)9:29 The Hellenists were Hebrews who used Greek language and culture.
(g)9:30 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
(h)9:36 “Dorcas” is Greek for “Gazelle.”
(i)9:38 Reading from NU, TR; MT omits “two men”
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