Acts of the Apostles 9

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest	1 Meanwhile Saul was stil breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.	2 and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest andtake to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men or women, that he might find.
3 On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.	3 It happened that while he was travelling to Damascus and approaching the city, suddenly a light fromheaven shone al round him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"	4 He fel to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
5 He said, "Who are you, sir?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.	5 'Who are you, Lord?' he asked, and the answer came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."	6 Get up and go into the city, and you wil be told what you are to do.'
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.	7 The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.	8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing at all, and they had tolead him into Damascus by the hand.
9 For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.	9 For three days he was without his sight and took neither food nor drink.
10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord."	10 There was a disciple in Damascus cal ed Ananias, and he had a vision in which the Lord said to him,'Ananias!' When he replied, 'Here I am, Lord,'
11 The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying,	11 the Lord said, 'Get up and go to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judas for someone cal ed Saul,who comes from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying,
12 and (in a vision) he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay (his) hands on him, that he may regain his sight."	12 and has seen a man cal ed Ananias coming in and laying hands on him to give him back his sight.'
13 But Ananias replied, "Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.	13 But in response, Ananias said, 'Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and al the harmhe has been doing to your holy people in Jerusalem.
14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name."	14 He has come here with a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.'
15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites,	15 The Lord replied, 'Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before gentiles and kingsand before the people of Israel;
16 and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name."	16 I myself wil show him how much he must suffer for my name.'
17 So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, "Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit."	17 Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, I havebeen sent by the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, so that you may recover your sight and befilled with the Holy Spirit.'
18 Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized,	18 It was as though scales fel away from his eyes and immediately he was able to see again. So he gotup and was baptised,
19 and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,	19 and after taking some food he regained his strength. After he had spent only a few days with thedisciples in Damascus,
20 and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.	20 he began preaching in the synagogues, 'Jesus is the Son of God.'
21 All who heard him were astounded and said, "Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests?"	21 Al his hearers were amazed, and said, 'Surely, this is the man who did such damage in Jerusalem tothe people who invoke this name, and who came here for the sole purpose of arresting them to have them triedby the chief priests?'
22 But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded (the) Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah.	22 Saul's power increased steadily, and he was able to throw the Jewish colony at Damascus intocomplete confusion by the way he demonstrated that Jesus was the Christ.
23 After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,	23 Some time passed, and the Jews worked out a plot to kil him,
24 but their plot became known to Saul. Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him,	24 but news of it reached Saul. They were keeping watch at the gates day and night in order to kil him,
25 but his disciples took him one night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.	25 but the disciples took him by night and let him down from the wal , lowering him in a basket.
26 When he arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.	26 When he got to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were al afraid of him: they could notbelieve he was real y a disciple.
27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.	27 Barnabas, however, took charge of him, introduced him to the apostles, and explained how the Lordhad appeared to him and spoken to him on his journey, and how he had preached fearlessly at Damascus in thename of Jesus.
28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord.	28 Saul now started to go round with them in Jerusalem, preaching fearlessly in the name of the Lord.
29 He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him.	29 But after he had spoken to the Hel enists and argued with them, they became determined to kil him.
30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.	30 When the brothers got to know of this, they took him to Caesarea and sent him off from there toTarsus.
31 The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.	31 The churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left in peace, building themselves upand living in the fear of the Lord; encouraged by the Holy Spirit, they continued to grow.
32 As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda.	32 It happened that Peter visited one place after another and eventually came to God's holy people livingdown in Lydda.
33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed.	33 There he found a man called Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.
34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed." He got up at once.	34 Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you: get up and make your bed.' Aeneas got upimmediately;
35 And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.	35 everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord.
36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.	36 At Jaffa there was a disciple called Tabitha, or in Greek, Dorcas, who never tired of doing good orgiving to those in need.
37 Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid (her) out in a room upstairs.	37 But it happened that at this time she became ill and died, and they washed her and laid her out in anupper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay."	38 Lydda is not far from Jaffa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men tourge him, 'Come to us without delay.'
39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them.	39 Peter went back with them immediately, and on his arrival they took him to the upper room, where althe widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was withthem.
40 Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.	40 Peter sent everyone out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead womanand said, 'Tabitha, stand up.' She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up.
41 He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive.	41 Peter helped her to her feet, then he cal ed in the members of the congregation and widows andshowed them she was alive.
42 This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord.	42 The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord.
43 And he stayed a long time in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.	43 Peter stayed on some time in Jaffa, lodging with a leather-tanner cal ed Simon.