Acts 9
9
The Conversion of Saul
1But Saul, #ver. 13, 21; See ch. 8:3 still #[Ps. 27:12] breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to #ch. 22:5; 26:10the high priest 2and asked him for letters #ch. 22:19; [Luke 12:11; 21:12] to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to #ch. 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22; [ch. 16:17; 18:25, 26; 22:4; Isa. 30:21; 35:8; Amos 8:14]the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3#For ver. 3-8, see ch. 22:6-11; 26:12-18; [1 Cor. 15:8]Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting #[Isa. 63:9; Zech. 2:8]me?” 5And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, #[See ver. 4 above]whom you are persecuting. 6But #[Ezek. 3:22; Gal. 1:1] rise and enter the city, and you will be told #ver. 16; [1 Cor. 9:16]what you are to do.” 7#[Dan. 10:7] The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, #[ch. 22:9 with John 12:29]hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, #[ch. 22:11]he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named #ch. 22:12 Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, #Gen. 22:1; Isa. 6:8“Here I am, Lord.” 11And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man #ch. 21:39; 22:3of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and #ver. 17; See Mark 5:23lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, #ver. 1, 2 how much evil he has done to #1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:10 your #Rom. 15:25, 26, 31saints at Jerusalem. 14And here he has authority from #ver. 21 the chief priests to bind all who #ch. 22:16; Rom. 10:13; 1 Cor. 1:2; [ch. 7:59; 2 Tim. 2:22]call on your name.” 15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for #[ch. 13:2; Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:15; Eph. 3:7] he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name #Rom. 1:5 (Gk.); 11:13; 15:16; Gal. 1:16; 2:2, 7-9; Eph. 3:7, 8; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 4:17 before the Gentiles and #ch. 25:22, 23; 26:1, 32; 2 Tim. 4:16kings and the children of Israel. 16For #ch. 20:23; 21:4, 11; 1 Thess. 3:3 I will show him how much #ver. 6; [ch. 14:22; 2 Cor. 6:4, 5; 11:23-28] he must suffer #See ch. 5:41for the sake of my name.” 17So #ch. 22:12-14 Ananias departed and entered the house. And #ver. 12 laying his hands on him 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 regain your sight and #See ch. 2:4be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and #ch. 22:13 he regained his sight. Then #ch. 22:16he rose and was baptized; 19and #[ver. 9] taking food, he was strengthened.
Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues
For #ch. 26:20some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, #[ver. 22]“He is the Son of God.” 21And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who #ver. 13, 14 made havoc #Gal. 1:13, 23in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22But Saul #See 1 Tim. 1:12 increased all the more in strength, and #ch. 18:28 confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving #[ver. 20]that Jesus was the Christ.
Saul Escapes from Damascus
23 # [Gal. 1:17, 18] When many days had passed, the Jews#9:23 The Greek word Ioudaioi refers specifically here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed the Christian faith in that time plotted to kill him, 24but their #ch. 20:3, 19; 23:30; [ch. 23:12; 25:3] plot became known to Saul. #2 Cor. 11:32They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25but his disciples took him by night and #2 Cor. 11:33; [Josh. 2:15; 1 Sam. 19:12]let him down through an opening in the wall,#9:25 Greek through the wall lowering him in a basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26And #ch. 22:17-20; 26:20when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27But #ch. 4:36 Barnabas took him and #[Gal. 1:18, 19] brought him to the apostles and declared to them #ver. 3-6 how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and #ver. 19, 20, 22 how at Damascus he had #See ch. 4:29preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28So he went #ch. 1:21in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29And he spoke and disputed against #See ch. 6:1 the Hellenists.#9:29 That is, Greek-speaking Jews But #[ch. 22:18]they were seeking to kill him. 30And when #See John 21:23 the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off #[ch. 11:25; Gal. 1:21]to Tarsus.
31So #[ch. 8:1; 16:5] the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And #[Neh. 5:9] walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, #ver. 35, 42it multiplied.
The Healing of Aeneas
32Now #[ch. 8:25]as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, #[ch. 3:6]Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35#[ver. 31, 42] And all the residents of Lydda and #1 Chr. 5:16; 27:29; Song 2:1 Sharon saw him, and #ch. 11:21; 2 Cor. 3:16they turned to the Lord.
Dorcas Restored to Life
36Now there was in #See Josh. 19:46 Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas.#9:36 The Aramaic name Tabitha and the Greek name Dorcas both mean gazelle She was full of #1 Tim. 2:10good works and acts of charity. 37In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in #ver. 39; ch. 1:13; 20:8an upper room. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, #Num. 22:16 (Heb.; Gk.)“Please come to us without delay.” 39So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to #ver. 37the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics#9:39 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40But Peter #Matt. 9:25 put them all outside, and #See ch. 7:60 knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body #[Mark 5:41; John 11:43]he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and #[John 11:45; 12:11]many believed in the Lord. 43And he stayed in Joppa for many days #ch. 10:6with one Simon, a tanner.
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