Act 9:1-22 | NASB1995 | STEP | Now Saul , still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord , went to the high priest ,

Acts 9:1-22

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 at ^gDamascus, so that if he found any belonging to ^hthe Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and ⁱsuddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and ^jhe 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 ^kit will be told you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him ^lstood speechless, ^mhearing the ^{▼▼ Or sound}voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and ^othough his eyes were open, he ^{▼▼ Lit was seeing}could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into ^qDamascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at ^rDamascus named ^sAnanias; and the Lord said to him in ^ta 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 ^uTarsus 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 ^wlay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, ^xhow much harm he did to ^yYour ^{▼▼ Or holy ones}saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he ^aahas authority from the chief priests to bind all who ^abcall on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for ^ache is a chosen ^{▼▼ Or vessel}instrument of Mine, to bear My name before ^aethe Gentiles and ^afkings and the sons of Israel; 16 for ^agI will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after ^ahlaying his hands on him said, ^ai“Brother 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 ^ajfilled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, 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 ^akfor several days he was with ^althe disciples who were at Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus ^amin the synagogues, ^{▼▼ Lit that}saying, “He is ^aothe Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem ^apdestroyed those who ^aqcalled on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the ^{▼▼ I.e. Messiah}Christ.