Acts

¹But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest. ²He asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, [giving permission] that if he found anyone who belonged to ‘the Way,’ whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As Saul was on his journey and approaching Damascus, a light from heaven¹³⁸⁵ suddenly shone around him. ⁴He fell on the earth and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

⁵He asked, “Who are you, Lord?”

The Lord answered, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.^{1386 6}Now arise, go into the city, and [there] you will be told what you must do.”

⁷The men who were traveling with Saul¹³⁸⁷ stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. ⁸Saul got up from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he could not see anyone. His fellow travelers¹³⁸⁸ led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹Saul was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰Now a certain disciple named Ananias lived in Damascus. In a vision, the Lord said to him, “Ananias!”

Ananias answered, “Behold, I [am here] Lord!”

¹¹The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah¹³⁸⁹ for someone named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, ¹²and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard about this man from many, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴Here, he has authority from the chief priests to bind all those who call upon your Name!”

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Be on your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my Name before nations and kings, and to the children of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him how much he must suffer for my Name’s sake.”

¹⁷Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me, so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit!” ¹⁸At once, something like scales fell from Saul’s¹³⁹⁰ eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, he was strengthened.

After staying for several days with the disciples who were at Damascus, ²⁰Saul immediately went into the synagogues to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹All who heard him were amazed, and asked, “Is this not the man who did such damage in Jerusalem to those who called on this Name, and who had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

²²But Saul grew even more in strength and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that [Jesus]¹³⁹¹ is the Christ.

Saul escapes Damascus—In Jerusalem

²³After some time, the Jews conspired to kill Saul,^{1392 24}but their plot became known to him. Day and night, they watched the gates in order to be able to kill Saul,^{1393 25}but the disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. ²⁶When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he {truly} was a disciple. ²⁷Nevertheless, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Saul told them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had boldly preached in the Name of Jesus. ²⁸So Saul¹³⁹⁴ stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus.^{1395 29}He talked and debated with the Hellenists,¹³⁹⁶ but they tried to kill him. ³⁰When the brethren became aware of this, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

Peace—Peter’s miracles: Aeneas and Tabitha/Dorcas

³¹And so, the Churches¹³⁹⁷ throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and were edified. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they continued to grow.

³²Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he also came down to [visit] the saints who lived in Lydda. ³³There, he found a certain man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and who had been bedridden for eight years. ³⁴Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed!” And immediately, he arose. ³⁵All who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

³⁶Now there lived in Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, (which, when translated means Gazelle).¹³⁹⁸ This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy. ³⁷But it happened that at this time, she became ill and died. She was washed and placed in an upper room. ³⁸As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to help them. ³⁹So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, the disciples led him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, showing [Peter] the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰But having put everyone out [of the room], Peter knelt down and began to pray. Turning toward the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹Then Peter gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴²This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. ⁴³After this, Peter¹³⁹⁹ stayed in Joppa for a while, lodging with Simon, a tanner.

Cornelius receives a vision

1385. Or “from the sky”
1386. TR adds “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” and inserts at the beginning of verse 6: “So he [Saul] trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do? Then the Lord said to him”
1387. Greek “him”
1388. Greek “they”
1389. Or “Judas”
1390. Greek “his”
1391. Greek “this”
1392. Greek “him”
1393. Greek “him”
1394. Greek “he”
1395. CT omits “Jesus”
1396. See note for 6:1
1397. Other ancient manuscripts read “Church” (singular), which has some ecclesiological importance. The reading offered in the main text (TR, MT, PT) is the most consistent with Orthodox ecclesiology and with the second part of the verse. See Appendix B.
1398. “Dorcas” is Greek for “Gazelle”
1399. Greek “he”