Open English Translation ACTs Chapter 9

9 Meanwhile Saul was still spouting off murderous threats towards the followers of the master. He went to the chief priest 2 and obtained official letters to enable him to enter the Jewish meeting halls in Damascus so that if he found either male or female followers of Yeshua, he could arrest them and bring them to Yerushalem in chains.

3 On his journey as he approached Damascus, suddenly light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He dropped to his knees[fn] and heard a voice calling, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5 “Who are you, master?” he asked.

And the voice replied, “I’m Yeshua, the one that you’re persecuting. 6 Now, stand up and go into the city, and you’ll be told there what you need to do.”

7 Meanwhile his travelling companions had stood there speechless, because they had heard the voice but couldn’t see anyone. 8 They helped Saul up from the ground, but even when he opened his eyes, he couldn’t see anything. So they had to lead him into Damascus by hand. 9 Saul stayed there for three days, unable to see and not eating or drinking anything.

10 Now there was a believer there in Damascus named Ananias, and the master spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias.”

“I’m here, master,” he answered.

11 So the master told him, “Get up and go to Yudas’ house in Straight Street where you’ll find a man named Saul from Tarsus. He’s praying right now 12 and in his vision, he saw a man named Ananias who comes in and places his hands on him so that he can receive his sight back.”

13 But Ananias resisted, “Master, I’ve heard a lot about that man, including all the evil things he’s done to your dedicated people in Yerushalem, 14 and the reason he’s here in Damascus with the authority of the chief priests is to arrest everyone who trusts in you.”

15 But the master said, “Go now, because I have chosen that man to be a bearer of my name and authority both in other countries, even to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel, 16 because I’ll be showing him what he’s going to have to suffer for bearing my name.”

17 So Ananias left and went into Yudas’ house where he placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the master has sent me here—Yeshua the one you saw on the road when you were coming here—so that you will be able to see again and also be filled with the holy spirit.” 18 Immediately something like scales fell off Saul’s eyes and he was able to see again, and he got up and got immersed in water, 19 before getting something to eat to renew his strength.

Then Saul stayed several days with the believers in Damascus. 20 He went straight into the Jewish meeting halls and started proclaiming that Yeshua is God’s son.

21 The hearers were all amazed, saying, “Isn’t this the guy that persecuted the ones following that Yeshua in Yerushalem, and even came to Damascus to arrest them here and take them back to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul was growing stronger[fn] and he was confounding the Jews living in Damascus as he taught them that Yeshua is the promised messiah.

23 [ref]After several days, the religious Jews plotted together to kill him, 24 but Saul found out about their plan. Those Jews were also watching the city exits so they could kill him if he tried leaving, 25 but his supporters took him to the city wall at night time and lowered him down in a basket.

26 When he got back to Yerushalem, Saul attempted to join in with the believers there but they were all scared of him, not believing that he was a true follower of Yeshua. 27 However Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the twelve, and Saul told them how he had seen the master on the road, and been spoken to by him, and how he had spoken boldly in Damascus in the name and authority of Yeshua. 28 So Saul stayed connected with the believers, going in and out of Yerushalem and speaking boldly in the name and authority of the master. 29 He also talked and debated with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they wanted to kill him, 30 so when the brothers found out, they took Saul down to Caesarea on the coast, and from there sent him on a ship to Tarsus.

31 After that the assemblies[fn] of believers throughout Yudea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and grew in their respect and service of the master, also well as increasing in numbers through the encouragement of the holy spirit.

32 Peter travelled around the country and then went to visit the dedicated believers in Lydda. 33 He saw a paralysed man named Aeneas who’d spent eight years lying on his pallet, 34 and said to him, “Aeneas, Yeshua the messiah is healing you. Stand up and pack up your bed.” And straight away Aeneas stood up 35 and all the people living in Lydda and Sharon who saw him became followers of the master.

36 Then in Yoppa there was a believer named Tabitha (or Dorcas if translated) and she did a lot of good things as well as being generous to the poor. 37 Around that time she got sick and died. After washing her body, they placed it in an upper room, 38 and since Yoppa was near Lydda and the believers had heard that Peter was there, they quickly sent two men to request, “Please come as soon as possible.” 39 So Peter went with them, and when they arrived in Yoppa they took him up to the room. All the widows stood there, sobbing and showing him various clothes that Tabitha had made for them. 40 But Peter had them all removed from the room, and then kneeling down he prayed before turning back to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter there she sat up. 41 Peter helped her to stand up, then he called the believers and the widows, and presented the live Tabitha to them. 42 News of this spread throughout Yoppa and many people there believed in the master. 43 So Peter stayed on there for quite a few days, living with a tanner of hides named Simon.