Saul Becomes a Follower of the Lord
(Acts 22.6-16Acts 26.12-18)1 Saul kept on threatening to kill the Lord's followers. He even went to the high priest 2 and asked for letters to the leaders of the synagogues in Damascus. He did this because he wanted to arrest and take to Jerusalem any man or woman who had accepted the Lord's Way. 3 When Saul had almost reached Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul! Saul! Why are you so cruel to me?”
5 “Who are you?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus,” the Lord answered. “I am the one you are so cruel to. 6 Now get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do.”
7 The men with Saul stood there speechless. They had heard the voice, but they had not seen anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he could not see a thing. Someone then led him by the hand to Damascus, 9 and for three days he was blind and did not eat or drink.
10 A follower named Ananias lived in Damascus, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision. Ananias answered, “Lord, here I am.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. When you get there, you will find a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. Saul is praying, 12 and he has seen a vision. He saw a man named Ananias coming to him and putting his hands on him, so he could see again.”
13 Ananias replied, “Lord, a lot of people have told me about the terrible things this man has done to your followers in Jerusalem. 14 Now the chief priests have given him the power to come here and arrest anyone who worships in your name.”
15 The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen him to tell foreigners, kings, and the people of Israel about me. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for worshiping in my name.”
17 Ananias left and went into the house where Saul was staying. Ananias placed his hands on him and said, “Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me. He is the same one who appeared to you along the road. He wants you to be able to see and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Suddenly something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see. He got up and was baptized. 19 Then he ate and felt much better.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
For several days Saul stayed with the Lord's followers in Damascus. 20 Soon he went to the synagogues and started telling people that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 Everyone who heard Saul was amazed and said, “Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble for those people in Jerusalem who worship in the name of Jesus? Didn't he come here to arrest them and take them to the chief priests?”
22 Saul preached with such power that he completely confused the Jewish people in Damascus, as he tried to show them that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 Later some of them made plans to kill Saul, 24 but he found out about it. He learned that they were guarding the gates of the city day and night in order to kill him. 25 Then one night his followers let him down over the city wall in a large basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a true follower. 27 Then Barnabas helped him by taking him to the apostles. He explained how Saul had seen the Lord and how the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also said when Saul was in Damascus, he had spoken bravely in the name of Jesus.
28 Saul moved about freely with the followers in Jerusalem and told everyone about the Lord. 29 He was always arguing with the Jews who spoke Greek, and so they tried to kill him. 30 But the followers found out about this and took Saul to Caesarea. From there they sent him to the city of Tarsus.
31 The church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria now had a time of peace and kept on worshiping the Lord. The church became stronger, as the Holy Spirit encouraged it and helped it grow.
Peter Heals Aeneas
32 While Peter was traveling from place to place, he visited the Lord's followers who lived in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who for eight years had been sick in bed and could not move. 34 Peter said to Aeneas, “Jesus Christ has healed you! Get up and make up your bed.” At once he stood up.
35 Many people in the towns of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas and became followers of the Lord.
Peter Brings Dorcas Back to Life
36 In Joppa there was a follower named Tabitha. Her Greek name was Dorcas, which means “deer.” She was always doing good things for people and had given much to the poor. 37 But she got sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Joppa wasn't far from Lydda, and the followers heard that Peter was there. They sent two men to say to him, “Please come with us as quickly as you can!” 39 At once, Peter went with them.
The men took Peter upstairs into the room. Many widows were there crying. They showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was still alive.
40 After Peter had sent everyone out of the room, he knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the body of Dorcas and said, “Tabitha, get up!” The woman opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.
Peter called in the widows and the other followers and showed them that Dorcas had been raised from death. 42 Everyone in Joppa heard what had happened, and many of them put their faith in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed on for a while in Joppa in the house of a man named Simon, who made leather.
Sauls top par Jēzus mācekli
1 Bet Sauls, pilns nāves draudu pret Kunga mācekļiem, ieradās pie augstā priestera 2 un lūdza no tā vēstules sinagogām Damaskā, lai, sastopot kādus šīs ticības ceļa gājējus, vīrus un sievas, viņš tos varētu sasiet un vest uz Jeruzālemi. 3 Bet, tuvojoties Damaskai, viņu pēkšņi apspīdēja gaisma no debesīm. 4 Nokritis pie zemes, viņš dzirdēja balsi sakām: “Saul, Saul, kādēļ tu mani vajā?” 5 Viņš jautāja: “Kas tu esi, Kungs?” Tas atbildēja: “Es esmu Jēzus, ko tu vajā. 6 Celies augšā un ej uz pilsētu, un tur tev pateiks, kas jādara.” 7 Bet vīri, kas gāja kopā ar Saulu, stāvēja bez valodas kā mēmi – balsi tie dzirdēja, bet nevienu neredzēja. 8 Sauls piecēlās no zemes, bet, acis atvēris, neko neredzēja; un viņi, pie rokām paņēmuši, veda to uz Damasku. 9 Trīs dienas viņš bija neredzīgs un neko neēda un nedzēra. 10 Damaskā bija kāds māceklis, vārdā Hananja. Kungs uzrunāja viņu parādībā: “Hananja.” Viņš atbildēja: “Redzi, Kungs, te es esmu.” 11 Bet Kungs viņam sacīja: “Dodies uz Taisno ielu un Jūdas mājā uzmeklē tarsieti, vārdā Sauls. Redzi, viņš lūdz Dievu, 12 un ir redzējis kādu vīru, vārdā Hananja, ienākam un uzliekam viņam rokas, lai viņš atkal varētu redzēt.” 13 Hananja atbildēja: “Kungs, es no daudziem esmu dzirdējis par šo vīru, kādus ļaunus darbus viņš darījis svētajiem Jeruzālemē. 14 Šeit viņš ir ieradies ar virspriesteru pilnvarām apcietināt visus, kas piesauc tavu vārdu.” 15 Bet Kungs viņam sacīja: “Dodies turp, jo šis vīrs ir manis izredzēts darbarīks, lai nestu manu vārdu tautām un ķēniņiem, un Israēla dēliem. 16 Es darīšu viņam redzamu, kas viņam mana vārda dēļ būs jācieš.” 17 Un Hananja devās uz to namu un, uzlicis rokas viņam, sacīja: “Brāli Saul, Kungs Jēzus, kas tev parādījās ceļā, sūta mani, lai tu kļūtu atkal redzīgs un tiktu piepildīts ar Svēto Garu.” 18 Tūdaļ no viņa acīm nokrita it kā zvīņas, viņš atkal redzēja un cēlās kājās, un tika kristīts. 19 Viņš paēda un atguva spēkus.
Sauls sludina Damaskā
20 Viņš tūdaļ sludināja sinagogās par Jēzu, ka Jēzus ir Dieva Dēls. 21 Visi, kas to dzirdēja, izbijās un runāja: “Vai tad šis nav tas pats, kurš Jeruzālemē vajājis tos, kas piesauc Jēzus vārdu, un tagad nācis šurp, lai apcietinātu un vestu tos pie virspriesteriem?” 22 Bet Saula ietekme arvien pieauga, un viņš radīja apjukumu jūdos, kas dzīvoja Damaskā, pierādīdams, ka Jēzus ir Kristus.
Sauls bēg no Damaskas
23 Kad jau kāds laiks bija pagājis, jūdi sāka perināt domas, kā viņu nokaut, 24 taču viņu nolūks kļuva zināms Saulam. Viņi novēroja pilsētas vārtus dienu un nakti, lai to nokautu. 25 Bet viņa mācekļi naktī aizveda viņu, ielika grozā un nolaida pāri mūrim lejā.
Sauls Jeruzālemē
26 Ieradies Jeruzālemē, viņš mēģināja pievienoties mācekļiem, bet visi baidījās no viņa, neticēdami, ka viņš ir kļuvis par mācekli. 27 Bet Barnaba uzņēma viņu, aizveda pie apustuļiem un pastāstīja tiem, kā viņš ceļā redzējis Kungu un ka Jēzus ar viņu runājis, un kā viņš Damaskā drosmīgi sludinājis Jēzus vārdā. 28 Sauls bija kopā ar tiem Jeruzālemē, nāca un gāja, drosmīgi sludinādams Kunga vārdā. 29 Viņš runāja un strīdējās ar grieķiski runājošiem jūdiem, bet tie lūkoja viņu nokaut. 30 To uzzinājuši, brāļi aizveda viņu uz Cēzareju un sūtīja tālāk uz Tarsu. 31 Tad draudzēm visā Jūdejā un Galilejā, un Samarijā bija miers. Tās nostiprinājās un dzīvoja Kunga bijībā un, Svētā Gara iedrošinātas, pieauga skaitā.
Aineja dziedināšana
32 Pēteris ceļoja pa visu zemi, un viņš nonāca arī pie svētajiem, kas dzīvoja Lidā. 33 Tur viņš atrada kādu vīru, vārdā Ainejs, kas astoņus gadus paralizēts gulēja uz gultas. 34 Pēteris viņam sacīja: “Ainej, Jēzus Kristus tevi ir dziedinājis, celies augšā un sakārto gultu.” Un tas tūdaļ piecēlās. 35 To redzēja visi Lidas un Šāronas iedzīvotāji, un viņi pievērsās Kungam.
Tabitas atdzīvināšana
36 Jafā bija kāda mācekle, vārdā Tabita (tulkojumā – Stirna ); visu mūžu viņa darīja labus darbus un apdāvināja nabagus. 37 Tajā laikā viņa saslima un nomira. Viņu nomazgāja un guldīja augšistabā. 38 Tā kā Jafa ir tuvu Lidai, mācekļi, izdzirdējuši, ka Pēteris ir tur, nosūtīja pie viņa divus vīrus ar lūgumu: “Nekavējoties dodies pie mums!” 39 Pēteris cēlās un gāja tiem līdzi. Kad viņš atnāca, viņu uzveda augšistabā, un līdzās viņam nostājās atraitnes, kas raudādamas rādīja kreklus un drēbes, ko Stirna bija darinājusi, kamēr vēl bija viņu vidū. 40 Pēteris izsūtīja tās visas ārā, nokrita ceļos un lūdza Dievu. Tad viņš pagriezās pret mirušo un sacīja: “Tabita, celies augšā!” Un tā atvēra acis un, ieraudzījusi Pēteri, piecēlās sēdus. 41 Viņš tai padeva roku un piecēla kājās. Pasaucis svētos un atraitnes, viņš atveda to viņu priekšā dzīvu. 42 Tas kļuva zināms visā Jafā, un daudzi sāka ticēt Kungam. 43 Jafā Pēteris uzkavējās ilgāku laiku pie ādmiņa Sīmaņa.
