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.
1 Bet Sauls, vēl draudus un nāvi šņākdams pret Tā Kunga mācekļiem, gāja pie augstā priestera 2 un lūdza no tā vēstules sinagogām Damaskā, lai, atradis kādus šīs mācības sekotājus, vīrus vai sievas, tos saistītus vestu uz Jeruzālemi. 3 Bet, viņam ejot, notika, ka, tuvojoties Damaskai, piepeši viņu apspīdēja gaisma no debesīm, 4 un, pie zemes nokritis, viņš dzirdēja balsi, kas viņam teica: "Saul, Saul, kāpēc tu Mani vajā?" 5 Viņš jautāja: "Kas Tu esi, Kungs?" Bet Viņš atbildēja: "Es esmu Jēzus, ko tu vajā; 6 celies un ej pilsētā, un tev pateiks, kas tev jādara." 7 Bet viņa ceļabiedri stāvēja kā mēmi, balsi gan dzirdēdami, bet nevienu neredzēdami. 8 Sauls piecēlās no zemes un, acis atvēris, neko neredzēja; un viņi to pie rokas ieveda Damaskā. 9 Trīs dienas viņš nevarēja redzēt un ne ēda, ne dzēra. 10 Damaskā bija kāds māceklis, vārdā Ananija, un Tas Kungs parādībā viņu uzrunāja: "Ananija!" Viņš atbildēja: "Še es esmu, Kungs!" 11 Tas Kungs viņam sacīja: "Celies un ej uz tā saukto Taisno ielu un uzmeklē Jūdas namā tarsieti, vārdā Sauls; viņš lūdz Dievu 12 un parādībā ir redzējis vīru, vārdā Ananija, ieejam un tam rokas uzliekam, lai tas atkal kļūtu redzīgs." 13 Bet Ananija atbildēja: "Kungs, es no daudziem esmu dzirdējis par šo vīru, cik daudz ļauna viņš darījis Taviem svētajiem Jeruzālemē; 14 un te viņam ir augsto priesteru pilnvara saistīt visus, kas piesauc Tavu Vārdu." 15 Bet Tas Kungs viņam sacīja: "Ej, jo viņš Man ir izredzēts ierocis nest Manu Vārdu tautu, ķēniņu un Israēla bērnu priekšā. 16 Jo Es viņam rādīšu, cik daudz viņam Mana Vārda dēļ jācieš." 17 Ananija aizgāja un nonāca tanī namā un, viņam rokas uzlicis, sacīja: "Brāli Saul, Kungs Jēzus, kas tev parādījies ceļā, pa kuru tu nāci, mani sūtījis, lai tu atkal kļūtu redzīgs un pilns Svētā Gara." 18 Tūdaļ no viņa acīm nokrita kā zvīņas, viņš atkal redzēja un uzcēlies tika kristīts. 19 Un viņš ēda un atspirga. Viņš palika dažas dienas pie mācekļiem Damaskā 20 un tūdaļ sludināja par Jēzu sinagogās, ka Tas ir Dieva Dēls. 21 Bet visi, kas to dzirdēja, uztraucās un sacīja: "Vai viņš nav tas, kas Jeruzālemē vajājis tos, kas piesauc šo Vārdu, un vai viņš nav tāpēc šurp nācis, lai tos saistītus vestu pie augstajiem priesteriem?" 22 Bet Sauls arvien vairāk iedegās un saviļņoja ļaudis, kas dzīvoja Damaskā, pierādīdams, ka Jēzus ir Kristus. 23 Kad labs laiks bija pagājis, jūdi nolēma viņu nonāvēt. 24 Bet viņu nodoms Saulam kļuva zināms. Viņi sargāja vārtus dienām un naktīm, lai viņu nonāvētu; 25 bet mācekļi naktī viņu nolaida grozā pār mūri zemē. 26 Jeruzālemē nonācis, viņš raudzīja piebiedroties mācekļiem; bet visi no tā bijās, neticēdami, ka viņš ir māceklis. 27 Bet Barnaba ņēma viņu savā aizsardzībā un veda pie apustuļiem un tiem stāstīja, kā viņš ceļā redzējis To Kungu un ka Tas ar viņu runājis, un kā viņš Damaskā atklāti sludinājis Jēzus Vārdā. 28 Un viņš bija pie tiem Jeruzālemē, nāca un gāja, droši sludinādams Tā Kunga Vārdā. 29 Viņš runāja arī un cīnījās ar hellēnistiem; bet tie meklēja viņu nonāvēt. 30 Brāļi, to manīdami, viņu aizveda uz Cēzareju un aizsūtīja uz Tarsu. 31 Tad draudzei visā Jūdejā, Galilejā un Samarijā bija miers, un tā auga un dzīvoja Tā Kunga bijībā un pilnam baudīja Svētā Gara iepriecu. 32 Bet Pēteris, pārstaigādams visu apgabalu, nonāca arī pie svētajiem, kas dzīvoja Lidā. 33 Tur bija kāds cilvēks, vārdā Ainejs, kas astoņus gadus bija gulējis uz gultas; tas bija triekas ķerts. 34 Pēteris viņam sacīja: "Ainej, Jēzus Kristus tevi dziedina; celies un sakārto savu gultu!" Un viņš tūdaļ cēlās. 35 Viņu redzēja visi Lidas un Saronas iedzīvotāji, un tie atgriezās pie Tā Kunga. 36 Jopē bija kāda mācekle, vārdā Tabita, tulkojumā: Stirna; tā bija labdare un nabagu apdāvinātāja. 37 Tanīs dienās viņa saslima un nomira; un viņi to nomazgājuši nolika augšistabā. 38 Bet, tā kā Lida ir tuvu pie Jopes, tad mācekļi, dzirdēdami, ka Pēteris tur esot, sūtīja pie tā divi vīrus ar lūgumu, lai tas nekavētos atnākt pie viņiem. 39 Pēteris cēlās un gāja tiem līdzi; kad viņš bija atnācis, viņu uzveda augšistabā, un visas atraitnes viņu apstāja, raudādamas un rādīdamas svārkus un drēbes, ko Stirna, pie tiem būdama, bija darinājusi. 40 Pēteris, izraidījis visus ārā, metās ceļos un lūdza Dievu un, pret mirušo pagriezies, sacīja: "Tabita, celies augšā!" Viņa atvēra savas acis un, Pēteri ieraudzījusi, piecēlās sēdus. 41 Viņš tai sniedza roku un to piecēla un, atsaucis svētos un atraitnes, viņu dzīvu veda tiem priekšā. 42 Tas kļuva zināms visā Jopē, un daudzi ticēja Tam Kungam. 43 Viņš labu laiku palika Jopē pie kāda ādmiņa Sīmaņa.
