¹But Saul was still breathing threats and murder towards the Lord's disciples, and he went to the high priest, ²and he asked him for letters to take to Damascus, addressed to the synagogues, authorizing that if he should find anyone of “the way”, both men and women, he should bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³And as he went, it came to pass that he was approaching Damascus, when suddenly light flashed around him from heaven. ⁴And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶But get up, and go to the city and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷But the men who were travelling with him stood dumbfounded, hearing the voice but not seeing anyone. ⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw no-one, and they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. ⁹And for three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink. ¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias”, and he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the lane called ‘Straight’ and seek in Judas's house Saul by name, a Tarsan, for look, he is praying. ¹²And he has seen in a vision a man by the name of Ananias coming to him and putting his hand on him, so that he may recover his sight.” ¹³And Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard about this man from many people, how many bad things he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴And here he has authority from the senior priests to bind all those who call on your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name in the presence of the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him what he must undergo for my name's sake.” ¹⁷So Ananias departed and went into the house and put his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me – the Lord who appeared to you on the road by which you came – so that you may recover your sight and be filled with holy spirit.” ¹⁸And straightaway it was as if scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight, and he rose up and was baptized, ¹⁹and he took food and gained strength. And Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for several days. ²⁰And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, preaching that this was the son of God. ²¹And all of those hearing it were amazed, and they said, “Is this not the man who devastated those who call on this name in Jerusalem, and who has come here for the very purpose of bringing them bound to the senior priests?” ²²But Saul was strengthened further, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus, demonstrating that this was the Christ. ²³But when a fair number of days had passed, the Jews plotted together to eliminate him. ²⁴But their plot became known to Saul. Meanwhile they were guarding the gates closely, by both day and night, so as to eliminate him. ²⁵So the disciples took him by night and let him down, lowering him over the wall in a basket. ²⁶Then when Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join up with the disciples, but they all feared him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took hold of him and led him to the apostles, and he explained to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken freely in the name of Jesus. ²⁸And he went with them into Jerusalem, speaking freely in the name of the Lord Jesus, ²⁹and he spoke and debated with the Greek speakers, but they set about eliminating him. ³⁰The brothers realized this and brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. ³¹So the churches throughout the whole of Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and they were built up, and they walked in the fear of the Lord, and they were filled with the comforting of the holy spirit. ³²And it came to pass that Peter, in the course of his travels all around, also went down to the saints who lived at Lydda. ³³And he found there a certain man by the name of Aeneas, who had lain on a bed for eight years, who was paralysed. ³⁴And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed for yourself.” And immediately he got up. ³⁵And all those living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. ³⁶Now there was a certain disciple in Joppa by the name of Tabitha, which when translated is “Dorcas”. She was full of good works and alms which she gave. ³⁷And it came to pass in those days that she fell ill and died. Then they washed her and put her in an upper room. ³⁸With Lydda being near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was in that place, they sent word to him, pleading with him not to hesitate in coming across to them. ³⁹So Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived, all the widows led him up to the upper room, and they stood by him weeping and showing him all the tunics and clothes which Dorcas used to make when she was with them. ⁴⁰Then Peter sent them all out and knelt and prayed, and he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes and saw Peter and sat up. ⁴¹And giving her his hand, he stood her up, and he called the saints and the widows, and he presented her alive. ⁴²And it became known throughout the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³And it came to pass that he stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.