The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

(Acts 22:1–21; Acts 26:1–23)

Now Saul, still breathing threats and beatings against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

and he petitioned him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that, if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he could lead them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

And as he made the journey, it happened that he was approaching Damascus. And suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him.

And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.”(a)

And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

And the Lord said to him, “Rise up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you ought to do.” Now the men who were accompanying him were standing stupefied, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no one.

Then Saul rose up from the ground. And upon opening his eyes, he saw nothing. So leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

And in that place, he was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

And the Lord said to him: “Rise up and go into the street that is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, the one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying.”

(And Paul saw a man named Ananias entering and imposing hands upon him, so that he might receive his sight.)

But Ananias responded: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.

And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name.”

Then the Lord said to him: “Go, for this one is an instrument chosen by me to convey my name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel.

For I will reveal to him how much he must suffer on behalf of my name.”

And Ananias departed. And he entered the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, he who appeared to you on the way by which you arrived, sent me so that you would receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

And immediately, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized.

And when he had taken a meal, he was strengthened. Now he was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days.

Saul Preaches at Damascus

And he was continuously preaching Jesus in the synagogues: that he is the Son of God.

And all who heard him were astonished, and they said, “Is this not the one who, in Jerusalem, was fighting against those invoking this name, and who came here for this: so that he might lead them away to the leaders of the priests?”

But Saul was increasing to a greater extent in ability, and so he was confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus, by affirming that he is the Christ.

The Escape from Damascus

And when many days were completed, the Jews took counsel as one, so that they might put him to death.

But their treachery became known to Saul. Now they were also watching the gates, day and night, so that they might put him to death.

But the disciples, taking him away by night, sent him over the wall by letting him down in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him aside and led him to the Apostles. And he explained to them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how, in Damascus, he had acted faithfully in the name of Jesus.

And he was with them, entering and departing Jerusalem, and acting faithfully in the name of the Lord.

He also was speaking with the Gentiles and disputing with the Greeks. But they were seeking to kill him.

And when the brothers had realized this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

The Healing of Aeneas

Certainly, the Church had peace throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and it was being built up, while walking in the fear of the Lord, and it was being filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Then it happened that Peter, as he traveled around everywhere, came to the saints who were living at Lydda.

But he found there a certain man, named Aeneas, who was a paralytic, who had lain in bed for eight years.

And Peter said to him: “Aeneas, the Lord Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and arrange your bed.” And immediately he rose up.

And all who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord.

The Raising of Tabitha

(John 11:38–44)

Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which in translation is called Dorcas. She was filled with the good works and almsgiving that she was accomplishing.

And it happened that, in those days, she became ill and died. And when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

Now since Lydda was close to Joppa, the disciples, upon hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, asking him: “Do not be slow in coming to us.”

Then Peter, rising up, went with them. And when he had arrived, they led him to an upper room. And all the widows were standing around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and garments that Dorcas had made for them.

And when they had all been sent outside, Peter, kneeling down, prayed. And turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes and, upon seeing Peter, sat up again.

And offering her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called in the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.

Now this became known throughout all of Joppa. And many believed in the Lord.

And it happened that he resided for many days in Joppa, with a certain Simon, a tanner.

Footnotes

(a)9:5 The text literally says ‘kick against the goad,’ but this is an idiomatic expression meaning: ‘It is hard for you to resist the will of God,’ in other words: it is hard to act against Divine Providence and grace. This phrase occurs twice in Acts and in this translation is given in two different wordings, each of which reveals the meaning of the idiomatic expression, rather than translating that expression literally and obscurely.(Conte)

(Acts 22:1–21; Acts 26:1–23)

But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

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.

As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.

He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. (a)

But (b) rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”

The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.

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.

He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

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.”

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,

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.”

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.

Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

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.

For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

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.”

Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

Saul Preaches at Damascus

Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.

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!”

But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

The Escape from Damascus

When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,

but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,

but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

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.

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.

He was with them entering into

(d)

Jerusalem,

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.

When the brothers(g) knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

The Healing of Aeneas

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.

As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed.

Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose.

All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

The Raising of Tabitha

(John 11:38–44)

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.

In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

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.

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.

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.

He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

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”

(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”