16:1 He also came to Derbe 1 and to Lystra. 2 A disciple 3 named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, 4 but whose father was a Greek. 5
9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats 6 to murder 7 the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 9:2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues 8 in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, 9 either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners 10 to Jerusalem. 11 9:3 As he was going along, approaching 12 Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed 13 around him. 9:4 He 14 fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, 15 why are you persecuting me?” 16 9:5 So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! 9:6 But stand up 17 and enter the city and you will be told 18 what you must do.” 9:7 (Now the men 19 who were traveling with him stood there speechless, 20 because they heard the voice but saw no one.) 21 9:8 So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, 22 he could see nothing. 23 Leading him by the hand, his companions 24 brought him into Damascus. 9:9 For 25 three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything. 26
9:10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The 27 Lord 28 said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, 29 Lord.” 9:11 Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’ 30 and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, 9:12 and he has seen in a vision 31 a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.” 9:13 But Ananias replied, 32 “Lord, I have heard from many people 33 about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, 9:14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison 34 all who call on your name!” 35 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument 36 to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. 37 9:16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 38 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed 39 his hands on Saul 40 and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, 41 has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 42 9:18 Immediately 43 something like scales 44 fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He 45 got up and was baptized, 9:19 and after taking some food, his strength returned.
For several days 46 he was with the disciples in Damascus, 9:20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, 47 saying, “This man is the Son of God.” 48 9:21 All 49 who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not 50 the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging 51 those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners 52 to the chief priests?” 9:22 But Saul became more and more capable, 53 and was causing consternation 54 among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving 55 that Jesus 56 is the Christ. 57
9:23 Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted 58 together to kill him, 9:24 but Saul learned of their plot against him. 59 They were also watching 60 the city gates 61 day and night so that they could kill him. 9:25 But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening 62 in the wall by lowering him in a basket. 63
9:26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, 64 he attempted to associate 65 with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe 66 that he was a disciple. 9:27 But Barnabas took 67 Saul, 68 brought 69 him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that 70 the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly 71 in the name of Jesus. 9:28 So he was staying with them, associating openly with them 72 in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 9:29 He was speaking and debating 73 with the Greek-speaking Jews, 74 but they were trying to kill him. 9:30 When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caesarea 75 and sent him away to Tarsus.
9:31 Then 76 the church throughout Judea, Galilee, 77 and Samaria experienced 78 peace and thus was strengthened. 79 Living 80 in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church 81 increased in numbers.
9:32 Now 82 as Peter was traveling around from place to place, 83 he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. 84 9:33 He found there a man named Aeneas who had been confined to a mattress for eight years because 85 he was paralyzed. 9:34 Peter 86 said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ 87 heals you. Get up and make your own bed!” 88 And immediately he got up. 9:35 All 89 those who lived in Lydda 90 and Sharon 91 saw him, and they 92 turned 93 to the Lord.
9:36 Now in Joppa 94 there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means 95 Dorcas). 96 She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. 97 9:37 At that time 98 she became sick 99 and died. When they had washed 100 her body, 101 they placed it in an upstairs room. 9:38 Because Lydda 102 was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Come to us without delay.” 103 9:39 So Peter got up and went with them, and 104 when he arrived 105 they brought him to the upper room. All 106 the widows stood beside him, crying and showing him 107 the tunics 108 and other clothing 109 Dorcas used to make 110 while she was with them. 9:40 But Peter sent them all outside, 111 knelt down, 112 and prayed. Turning 113 to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 114 9:41 He gave 115 her his hand and helped her get up. Then he called 116 the saints and widows and presented her alive. 9:42 This became known throughout all 117 Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 118 9:43 So 119 Peter 120 stayed many days in Joppa with a man named 121 Simon, a tanner. 122