Act 9:1-22 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now Saul , still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord , went to the high priest ,

Acts 9:1-22

The Conversion of Saul

1 ^aNow ^{▼▼Later called Paul}Saul, still ^cbreathing ^{▼▼Lit threat}threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for ^eletters from him to ^fthe synagogues in ^gDamascus, so that if he found any belonging to ^{▼▼See John 14:6
,} ⁱthe Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and ^jsuddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and ^khe fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and ^lit will be told to you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him ^mstood speechless, ⁿhearing the ^{▼▼Or sound}voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and ^pthough his eyes were open, he ^{▼▼Lit was seeing}could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into ^rDamascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple in ^sDamascus named ^tAnanias; and the Lord said to him in ^ua vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from ^vTarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen ^{▼▼A few early mss do not contain in a vision}in a vision a man named Ananias come in and ^xlay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, ^yhow much harm he did to ^zYour ^{▼▼Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people}saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he ^abhas authority from the chief priests to ^{▼▼Lit bind}arrest all who ^adcall on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ^aehe is a chosen ^{▼▼Or vessel}instrument of Mine, to bear My name before ^agthe Gentiles and ^ahkings and the sons of Israel; 16 for ^aiI will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after ^ajlaying his hands on him said, “ ^akBrother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be ^alfilled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened. Saul Begins to Preach Christ

Now ^amfor several days he was with ^anthe disciples who were in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus ^aoin the synagogues, ^{▼▼Lit that}saying, “He is ^aqthe Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem ^ardestroyed those who ^ascalled on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the ^{▼▼I.e., Messiah}Christ.