The Conversion of Saul
(Acts 22.6-16Acts 26.12-18)1 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.
3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said. 6 “But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.
10 There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, “Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord said to him, “Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.”
13 Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel. 16 And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.”
17 So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized; 19 and after he had eaten, his strength came back.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus. 20 He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.
21 All who heard him were amazed and asked, “Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”
22 But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not answer him.
23 After many days had gone by, the Jews met together and made plans to kill Saul, 24 but he was told of their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But one night Saul's followers took him and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26 Saul went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples. But they would not believe that he was a disciple, and they were all afraid of him. 27 Then Barnabas came to his help and took him to the apostles. He explained to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him. He also told them how boldly Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 28 And so Saul stayed with them and went all over Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also talked and disputed with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.
31 And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit it was strengthened and grew in numbers, as it lived in reverence for the Lord.
Peter in Lydda and Joppa
32 Peter traveled everywhere, and on one occasion he went to visit God's people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had not been able to get out of bed for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ makes you well. Get up and make your bed.” At once Aeneas got up. 35 All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a woman named Tabitha, who was a believer. (Her name in Greek is Dorcas, meaning “a deer.”) She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor. 37 At that time she got sick and died. Her body was washed and laid in a room upstairs. 38 Joppa was not very far from Lydda, and when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him with the message, “Please hurry and come to us.” 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, he was taken to the room upstairs, where all the widows crowded around him, crying and showing him all the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was alive. 40 Peter put them all out of the room, and knelt down and prayed; then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 Peter reached over and helped her get up. Then he called all the believers, including the widows, and presented her alive to them. 42 The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed on in Joppa for many days with a tanner of leather named Simon.
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.
