The Damascus road

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.

About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone. My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. “Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything. “Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered. “Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice. You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,

and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”

Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”

But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.

He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.