Acts 9 - Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Saul’s Conversion on the Damascus Road

9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and^[a] asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he could bring them^[b] tied up^[c] to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he proceeded, it happened that when he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵ So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting! ⁶ But get up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”^{[d] 7} (Now the men who were traveling together with him stood speechless, because they^[e] heard the voice but saw no one.) ⁸ So Saul got up from the ground, but although^[f] his eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was unable to see^[g] for three days, and he did not eat or drink.

Ananias Sent to Saul

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus named^[h] Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Behold, here I am, Lord!” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up, go to the street called ‘Straight’ and in the house of Judas look for a man named Saul from Tarsus.^[i] For behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named^[j] Ananias coming in and placing hands^[k] on him so that he may regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to tie up^[l] all who call upon your name!” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles^[m] and kings and the sons of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷ So Ananias departed and entered into the house, and placing his^[n] hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight and got up and^[o] was baptized, ¹⁹ and after^[p] taking food, he regained his strength. And he was with the disciples in Damascus several days.

Saul Proclaims Christ in Damascus

²⁰ And immediately he began proclaiming^[q] Jesus in the synagogues: “This one is the Son of God!” ²¹ And all who heard him^[r] were amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem on those who call upon this name, and had come here for this reason, that he could bring them tied up^[s] to the chief priests?” ²² But Saul was increasing in strength even more, and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by^[t] proving that this one is the Christ.^[u]

²³ And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted to do away with him. ²⁴ But their plot became known to Saul, and they were also watching the gates both day and night so that they could do away with him. ²⁵ But his disciples took him^[v] at night and^[w] let him down through the wall by^[x] lowering him^[y] in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶ And when he^[z] arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they^[aa] did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and^[ab] brought him^[ac] to the apostles and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was going in and going out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews,^[ad] but they were trying to do away with him. ³⁰ And when^[ae] the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened. And living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it was increasing in numbers.^[af]

Aeneas Healed

³² Now it happened that as^[ag] Peter was traveling through all the places,^[ah] he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. ³³ And he found there a certain man named^[ai] Aeneas who was paralyzed, who had been lying on a mat^[aj] for eight years. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed yourself!” And immediately he got up. ³⁵ And all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, who all^[ak] indeed turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Raised

³⁶ Now in Joppa there was a certain female disciple named^[al] Tabitha (which translated means “Dorcas”).^[am] She was full of good deeds and charitable giving which she was constantly doing.^{[an] 37} Now it happened that in those days after^[ao] becoming sick, she died. And after^[ap] washing her,^[aq] they placed her in an upstairs room. ³⁸ And because^[ar] Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, when they^[as] heard that Peter was in Lydda,^[at] sent two men to him, urging, “Do not delay to come to us!” ³⁹ So Peter got up and^[au] accompanied them. When he^[av] arrived, they brought him^[aw] up to the upstairs room, and all the widows came to him, weeping and showing him^[ax] tunics and other clothing that Dorcas used to make while she^[ay] was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter sent them all outside, and, falling to his^[az] knees, he prayed. And turning toward the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” And she opened her eyes, and when she^[ba] saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and^[bb] raised her up. And he called the saints and the widows and^[bc] presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And it happened that he stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.^[bd]

Footnotes

1. Acts 9:2 Here “and” is supplied because the participle in the previous verse (“went to”) has been translated as a finite verb
2. Acts 9:2 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
3. Acts 9:2 Or figuratively “bring them under arrest”
4. Acts 9:6 Literally “what thing it is necessary that you do”
5. Acts 9:7 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as causal
6. Acts 9:8 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the genitive absolute participle (“were open”) which is understood as concessive
7. Acts 9:9 Literally “not seeing”
8. Acts 9:10 Literally “by name”
9. Acts 9:11 Literally “Saul by name of Tarsus”
10. Acts 9:12 Literally “by name”
11. Acts 9:12 Some manuscripts have “placing his hands”
12. Acts 9:14 Or figuratively “to arrest” or “to imprison”
13. Acts 9:15 The same Greek word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context
14. Acts 9:17 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
15. Acts 9:18 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“got up”) has been translated as a finite verb
16. Acts 9:19 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“taking”) which is understood as temporal
17. Acts 9:20 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began proclaiming”)
18. Acts 9:21 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
19. Acts 9:21 Or figuratively “bring them under arrest”
20. Acts 9:22 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“proving”) which is understood as means
21. Acts 9:22 Or “Messiah”
22. Acts 9:25 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
23. Acts 9:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
24. Acts 9:25 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“lowering”) which is understood as means
25. Acts 9:25 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
26. Acts 9:26 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrived”) which is understood as temporal
27. Acts 9:26 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“believe”) which is understood as causal
28. Acts 9:27 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
29. Acts 9:27 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
30. Acts 9:29 Literally “Hellenists”
31. Acts 9:30 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“found out”) which is understood as temporal
32. Acts 9:31 *The words “in numbers” are not in the Greek text but are implied
33. Acts 9:32 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was traveling”) which is understood as temporal
34. Acts 9:32 *The words “the places” are not in the Greek text but are implied
35. Acts 9:33 Literally “by name”
36. Acts 9:33 Or “mattress”
37. Acts 9:35 Here “all” is supplied to indicate the relative pronoun is plural
38. Acts 9:36 Literally “by name”
39. Acts 9:36 “Dorcas” is the Greek translation of the Aramaic name “Tabitha” which means “deer” or “gazelle”
40. Acts 9:36 *Here the imperfect verb is translated as a customary imperfect (“was constantly doing”)
41. Acts 9:37 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“becoming sick”) which is understood as temporal
42. Acts 9:37 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“washing”) which is understood as temporal
43. Acts 9:37 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
44. Acts 9:38 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as causal
45. Acts 9:38 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
46. Acts 9:38 Literally “in it”
47. Acts 9:39 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“got up”) has been translated as a finite verb
48. Acts 9:39 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrived”) which is understood as temporal
49. Acts 9:39 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
50. Acts 9:39 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
51. Acts 9:39 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as temporal
52. Acts 9:40 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
53. Acts 9:40 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
54. Acts 9:41 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“gave”) has been translated as a finite verb
55. Acts 9:41 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“called”) has been translated as a finite verb
56. Acts 9:43 Or “with a certain Simon Berseus”; most modern English versions treat the word as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), but the word may actually be a surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”)