Read the Bible

¹ Saul still breathing out nothing but threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, ² went to the high priest, and demanded letters for the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any of this sect, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ As he was on his journey, and near Damascus, on a sudden, a light from heaven surrounded him, ⁴ and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice which said to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁵ and he said, who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is hard for thee to kick against the goad. ⁶ then trembling with the fright Saul said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said to him,]  but rise, and go into the city, and you shall be told what you must do. ⁷ the mean while the men who accompany'd him, remain'd astonish'd, hearing a voice, but seeing no one. ⁸ at length Saul rose from the ground; and when he opened his eyes, he could not see: so that they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus, ⁹ where he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, to whom the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! and he said, Lord, here I am. ¹¹ and the Lord said unto him, arise, and go to the street called Straight, and enquire at the house of Judas, for one Saul of Tarsus: for he is there at prayer. ¹² (at that very instant Saul saw in a vision the said Ananias come in, and put his hand on him, to restore his sight.) ¹³ then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many that this man has done a world of mischief to thy saints at Jerusalem: he is now here, ¹⁴ and is impower'd by the chief priests, to imprison all that make profession of thy name. ¹⁵ go, said the Lord to him: for he is the instrument I have chosen, to bear my name to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the children of Israel. ¹⁶ for I will make him see how much he must suffer for my name. ¹⁷ Ananias therefore departed, and being arrived at the house, he put his hands on Saul, and said, brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared to you on your journey hither, hath sent me, that you might obtain your sight, and be filled with the holy spirit. ¹⁸ immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recover'd his sight; upon which he instantly arose, and was baptized. ¹⁹ and when he had taken some food, he was refresh'd. after which Saul staid some time with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰ Immediately he maintained in the synagogues, that Jesus was the son of God. ²¹ the audience were all amazed, and said, is not this he that persecuted the professors of this doctrine at Jerusalem, and came here on purpose to carry them prisoners to the chief priests? ²² however Saul still gain'd ground, and confounded the Jews of Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Messias.

²³ A good while after, the Jews conspir'd to kill him: ²⁴ but Saul was appriz'd of their plot. and as they were night and day upon the watch at the gates, in order to kill him, ²⁵ the disciples took him by night, and let him down the wall in a basket. ²⁶ when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he try'd to associate himself with the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and could not be persuaded that he was a disciple. ²⁷ thereupon Barnabas took him with him to the apostles, and related to them how the Lord had appear'd to him on his journey, and had spoken to him, and how publickly Saul had preach'd at Damascus in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ then he convers'd freely with the apostles at Jerusalem: ²⁹ and he openly preach'd in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Hellenists, who therefore plotted against his life: ³⁰ which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus. ³¹ Then the churches in all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, were unmolested and establish'd, and by their religious conduct, and the assistance of the holy spirit, grew more extensive.

³² now as Peter was making a general visitation, he went to Lydda to see the converts in that city, ³³ where finding a man named Eneas, a paralytic, who had kept his bed eight years, ³⁴ Peter said to him, Eneas, Jesus, who is the Messiah, gives thee health: rise, and make your bed your self: upon which he immediately rose. ³⁵ and all that dwelt at Lydda, and Saron, saw him, and became converts to the Lord.

³⁶ At Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, that is in Greek, Dorcas: this woman was very active in all the offices of benevolence and charity. ³⁷ she happen'd to fall sick at that time, and died: after they had bath'd her body, they laid her out in an upper chamber. ³⁸ as Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples having heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him to desire he would come to them without delay. ³⁹ Peter immediately went with them, and when he was come, they conducted him to the upper chamber: and all the widows advanc'd to him weeping, and shew'd the robes and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ but Peter turn'd them all out, and kneeled down and prayed, then turning towards the body, Tabitha, said he, arise immediately. she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ Peter lent her his hand, and lift her up; and having called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² this was soon spread thro' all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ so that Peter staid there a considerable time with one Simon a tanner.