Acts of the Apostles 9

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Saul Is Guided to the Faith

1 Now Saul was still threatening the followers of Maulana Isa with murder. He went to the high priest 2 and requested from him letters to the houses of worship* in Damascus, so that he could arrest those whom he might find [there] who were followers of the Way,* [both] men and women, and take them bound to Jerusalem.*

3 While he was traveling, when he had come near to Damascus, suddenly there shone around him a light from heaven. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 Saul said, “Who are you, sir?” He answered him, “I am Isa, whom you are persecuting. 6 Get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 As for the men traveling with him, they stood still, saying nothing, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up off the ground and opened his eyes, and he found that he couldn't see. So they led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 For three days he remained unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.

10 Now in Damascus there was a follower of Isa named Ananias. The Messiah said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Yes, my Lord!” 11 He said to him, “Get up and go to Straight Street; ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He's praying now 12 and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come to him and place his hands on him so that he can see.” 13 Ananias answered, “My Lord! I've heard from many people about this man and about the harm he has caused to your people in Jerusalem. 14 He has come here with permission from the chief priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But Maulana Isa said to him, “Go, for I have chosen this man to be an instrument to take my name to nations, kings, and the Children of Israel; 16 I will show him all that he must suffer much for the sake of my name.”

17 So Ananias went to the house. He went in, placed his hands on Saul, and said, “Brother Saul, our Master Isa, who appeared to you on the way here, has sent me so that you may see and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was immersed. 19 He ate some food and regained his strength. Then he spent a few days with the disciples in Damascus.

Saul in Damascus

20 Saul went directly to the houses of worship and began proclaiming that Isa is the Son of Allah.* 21 All who heard him were amazed and said, “Isn't this the one who was trying to destroy those who called on that name in Jerusalem? And didn't he come here with the intention of arresting them and taking them to the chief priests?” 22 As for Saul, he was increasing in power and confounding the Jews living in Damascus with the proofs he presented that Isa is the Messiah. 23 After a period of time,* the Jews plotted to kill him. 24 They were watching the city gates day and night in order to kill him, but Saul heard about the plot. 25 So his followers took him during the night and lowered him from the wall in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem,* he tried to join the believers, but they were all afraid of him and didn't believe that he had become a believer in Maulana Isa. 27 But Barnabas took him to the apostles. He explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord Isa on the road, and that Isa had spoken to him, and how Saul himself had boldly proclaimed the name of Isa in Damascus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and began going around with them in Jerusalem, proclaiming the name of Isa without fear. 29 He was speaking to the Jews from foreign countries and debating with them, and so they decided to kill him. 30 When the brothers* learned about this, they took him to the port of Caesarea, and from there they sent him away to Tarsus.*

31 The communities of believers enjoyed peace throughout the lands of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. They were growing and progressing in the fear of the Lord, and they were increasing in number with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Healing of Aeneas

32 Now Peter was traveling throughout the region. One time he visited the believers present in Lydda.* 33 He found there a paralyzed man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Isa the Messiah heals you. Get up and make your bed yourself.” And he got up at once. 35 All the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and all of them were led to [follow] the Messiah.

The Raising of Tabitha [from death]

36 Now in the town of Jaffa* there was a follower of Isa whose name was Tabitha, which [translated] is Gazelle. She was always doing good deeds and helping the needy. 37 It happened at this time that she became ill and died. So they washed her and laid her in a room on the upper floor. 38 Lydda is close to Jaffa, and the believers in Jaffa heard that Peter was present in Lydda, so they sent two men to him with a message that said, “Please come to us quickly!”

39 So Peter set out and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room. All the widows gathered around him, weeping and showing him the shirts and clothes that Gazelle had made when she was still alive. 40 But Peter sent everyone out of the room; then he knelt and prayed to Allah. Then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” So she opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 He stretched his hand out to her and raised her up. Then he called in the believers and the widows, and he presented her to them alive. 42 The news spread throughout Jaffa, and many people put their faith in Maulana Isa. 43 Peter stayed on in Jaffa for some time at [the home of] a tanner named Simon.

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Definitions

 *9:2 followers of the Way: followers of Isa the Messiah, who is the way of salvation. See Acts 16:17. The Injil, John 14:6, records these words of Isa: “I am the way; I am the truth; I am the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

 *9:2 take them bound to Jerusalem: The Roman government had given the Jewish high priest in Jerusalem the authority to judge and punish Jews who violate the laws and traditions of their community. So the implication is that Saul was taking followers of Isa to Jerusalem so they could be judged by the High Priest. See Acts 4:6.

 *9:20 the Son of Allah: See the footnote at Acts 8:37. See family in the glossary.

 *9:23 After a period of time: AD 35-37. Paul says elsewhere (Galatians 1:18) that he went to Arabia for a while. Most likely he went to the city of Petra. At that time King Aretas IV of Petra ruled a large kingdom that included Damascus as well.

 *9:26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem: This happened around AD 38. According to Saul's letter to the Galatians (1:15-20), after leaving Damascus he went to Arabia for a while, then returned to Damascus, and then went to Jerusalem three years after his conversion, so around AD 38.

 *9:30 the brothers: the followers of Isa the Messiah.

 *9:32 Lydda: a town between Jerusalem and the coastal city of Jaffa.

 *9:36 Jaffa: a port city, close to the modern city of Tel Aviv. See the map of Judea.