Saul, still breathing out threats of murder against the disciples of the
lord, went to the high priest
and requested letters from him to the
synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way,
either men or women, he would bring them in chains to Jerusalem.As Saul
came near Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting me?”Saul asked, “Who are you, lord?” He answered, “I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting.
Get up and enter the city, and then you will be
told what you have to do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood speechless,
hearing the voice but seeing no one.Saul got up from the ground, and
though his eyes were open he could not see anything. The men with him led him by the
hand and brought him into Damascus.He was without sight for three days,
and had no food or drink.
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the lord said to
him in a vision, “Ananias!” He responded, “Yes, lord, here I am.”The lord
said to him, “Get up and go to Straight Street and inquire at the house of
Judas for a man named Saul from Tarsus. He is praying,
and in a vision he
has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that
he might regain his sight.”But Ananias replied, “lord, I have heard from
many people about this man, about how much harm he did to your saints in
Jerusalem.
And here in this city he has authority from the chief priests to put in chains
all who call on your name.”But the lord said to him, “Go, because he is my
chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and Israelites.
For I will show him how much he must suffer for my
name’s sake.”
So Ananias departed and entered the house. He laid his
hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the lord Jesus, who appeared to you on
the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may regain your
sight and be filled with holy spirit.”Immediately something like scales fell
from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and got up and was baptized.
He
ate some food and was strengthened. For several days Saul stayed with the
disciples in Damascus.Immediately in the synagogues he began to herald Jesus, saying “He is
the Son of God.”
21 All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those calling on this name? And did he not come here intending to bring them in chains before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul was being filled with power, confounding the Jews living in Damascus by
proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 After several days the Jews made a plan to kill him, 24 but their plot
became known to Saul. They were also watching the city gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through a
hole in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
26 When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him because they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles. He explained to
them how Saul had seen the lord on the road, that Jesus had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And Saul
stayed with them, associating with them freely in Jerusalem, 29 speaking out boldly in
the name of the lord. He talked and disputed with the Greek-speaking Jews,
but they were trying to kill him. 30 When the brothers heard about this they
brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 The churches
throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace and were being built
up. As they continued in the fear of the lord and in the comfort of the holy
spirit, their numbers increased. 32 As Peter was traveling around he came to the
saints living in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas who had been
bed-ridden for eight years because he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him,
“Aeneas, Jesus the Messiah heals you! Get up and make your bed!”
Immediately he got up. 35 Everyone living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and
they turned to the lord. 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek). This
woman’s life was continually full of kind works and charity. 37 At that time
she became sick and died. When they had washed her body they laid her in
an upstairs room. 38 As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples in Joppa, hearing
that Peter was in Lydda, sent two men to him imploring him to come to them
without delay. 39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived they
brought him into the upstairs room. All the widows were standing by him
weeping, and showing him all the clothes which Dorcas used to make while
she was still with them. 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha,[802] get up.” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and
raised her to her feet. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her to them
alive.
[803] 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the lord.
43 Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a tanner named Simon.
Commentary
Acts
[801]
Son of God is beautifully defined by Luke 1:35 as the miraculously fathered Son of God. The
Son of God is of course the Messiah of Israel (Ps. 2:7-9; Mt. 16:16-18).
[802]
Reminiscent of Jesus’ words as he raised the little girl back to life: “Talitha koum.”
[803]
Reminiscent of the appearance of the risen Jesus in Acts 1:3.
Acts