Paul’s conversion and zeal. Peter heals Eneas and raises up Tabitha to life.

¹ Now Saul, still breathing threats and beatings against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

² and he petitioned him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that, if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he could lead them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

³ And as he made the journey, it happened that he was approaching Damascus. And suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him.

⁴ And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.”¹

1. 9:5The text literally says ‘kick against the goad,’ but this is an idiomatic expression meaning: ‘It is hard for you to resist the will of God,’ in other words: it is hard to act against Divine Providence and grace. This phrase occurs twice in Acts and in this translation is given in two different wordings, each of which reveals the meaning of the idiomatic expression, rather than translating that expression literally and obscurely.(Conte)

⁶ And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

⁷ And the Lord said to him, “Rise up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you ought to do.” Now the men who were accompanying him were standing stupefied, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no one.

⁸ Then Saul rose up from the ground. And upon opening his eyes, he saw nothing. So leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

⁹ And in that place, he was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

¹¹ And the Lord said to him: “Rise up and go into the street that is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, the one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying.”

¹² (And Paul saw a man named Ananias entering and imposing hands upon him, so that he might receive his sight.)

¹³ But Ananias responded: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name.”

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to him: “Go, for this one is an instrument chosen by me to convey my name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel.

¹⁶ For I will reveal to him how much he must suffer on behalf of my name.”

¹⁷ And Ananias departed. And he entered the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, he who appeared to you on the way by which you arrived, sent me so that you would receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸ And immediately, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized.

¹⁹ And when he had taken a meal, he was strengthened. Now he was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days.

²⁰ And he was continuously preaching Jesus in the synagogues: that he is the Son of God.

²¹ And all who heard him were astonished, and they said, “Is this not the one who, in Jerusalem, was fighting against those invoking this name, and who came here for this: so that he might lead them away to the leaders of the priests?”

²² But Saul was increasing to a greater extent in ability, and so he was confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus, by affirming that he is the Christ.

²³ And when many days were completed, the Jews took counsel as one, so that they might put him to death.

²⁴ But their treachery became known to Saul. Now they were also watching the gates, day and night, so that they might put him to death.

²⁵ But the disciples, taking him away by night, sent him over the wall by letting him down in a basket.

²⁶ And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

²⁷ But Barnabas took him aside and led him to the Apostles. And he explained to them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how, in Damascus, he had acted faithfully in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And he was with them, entering and departing Jerusalem, and acting faithfully in the name of the Lord.

²⁹ He also was speaking with the Gentiles and disputing with the Greeks. But they were seeking to kill him.

³⁰ And when the brothers had realized this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹ Certainly, the Church had peace throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and it was being built up, while walking in the fear of the Lord, and it was being filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

³² Then it happened that Peter, as he traveled around everywhere, came to the saints who were living at Lydda.

³³ But he found there a certain man, named Aeneas, who was a paralytic, who had lain in bed for eight years.

³⁴ And Peter said to him: “Aeneas, the Lord Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and arrange your bed.” And immediately he rose up.

³⁵ And all who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord.

³⁶ Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which in translation is called Dorcas. She was filled with the good works and almsgiving that she was accomplishing.

³⁷ And it happened that, in those days, she became ill and died. And when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

³⁸ Now since Lydda was close to Joppa, the disciples, upon hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, asking him: “Do not be slow in coming to us.”

³⁹ Then Peter, rising up, went with them. And when he had arrived, they led him to an upper room. And all the widows were standing around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and garments that Dorcas had made for them.

⁴⁰ And when they had all been sent outside, Peter, kneeling down, prayed. And turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes and, upon seeing Peter, sat up again.

⁴¹ And offering her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called in the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.

⁴² Now this became known throughout all of Joppa. And many believed in the Lord.

⁴³ And it happened that he resided for many days in Joppa, with a certain Simon, a tanner.