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.
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.
