Study Desk

Saul's Conversion^(a)

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples.^(b) He went to the high priest

and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,^(c) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,^(d) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.^(e)

He fell to the ground and heard a voice^(f) say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.

"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."^(g)

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound^(h) but did not see anyone.⁽ⁱ⁾

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.^(j) So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,^(k) "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.

The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus^(l) named Saul, for he is praying.

In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on^(m) him to restore his sight."

"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people⁽ⁿ⁾ in Jerusalem.^(o)

And he has come here with authority from the chief priests^(p) to arrest all who call on your name."^(q)

But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument^(r) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles^(s) and their kings^(t) and to the people of Israel.

I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."^(u)

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on^(v) Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."^(w)

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,^(x)

and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples^(y) in Damascus.^(z)

At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(aa) that Jesus is the Son of God.^(ab)

All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?^(ac) And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"^(ad)

Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.^(ae)

After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,^(af)

but Saul learned of their plan.^(ag) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.

But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.^(ah)

When he came to Jerusalem,^(ai) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

But Barnabas^(aj) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,^(ak) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.^(al)

So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a](am) but they tried to kill him.^(an)

When the believers^(ao) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea^(ap) and sent him off to Tarsus.^(aq)

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria^(ar) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.^(as)

As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord's people^(at) who lived in Lydda.

There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.

"Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you.^(au) Get up and roll up your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up.

All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon^(av) saw him and turned to the Lord.^(aw)

In Joppa^(ax) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good^(ay) and helping the poor.

About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.^(az)

Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples^(ba) heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!"

Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows^(bb) stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Peter sent them all out of the room;^(bc) then he got down on his knees^(bd) and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up."^(be) She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.

He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.

This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.^(bf)

Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.^(bg)

Cornelius Calls for Peter

At Caesarea^(a) there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.

He and all his family were devout and God-fearing;^(b) he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

One day at about three in the afternoon^(c) he had a vision.^(d) He distinctly saw an angel^(e) of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"

Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering^(f) before God.^(g)

Now send men to Joppa^(h) to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

He is staying with Simon the tanner,⁽ⁱ⁾ whose house is by the sea."

When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.^(j)

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof^(l) to pray.

He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.^(m)

He saw heaven opened⁽ⁿ⁾ and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.

Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

"Surely not, Lord!"^(o) Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."^(p)

The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."^(q)

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision,^(r) the men sent by Cornelius^(s) found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate.

They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

While Peter was still thinking about the vision,^(t) the Spirit said^(u) to him, "Simon, three^[a] men are looking for you.

So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."^(v)

Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"

The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man,^(w) who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say."^(x)

Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius's House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers^(y) from Joppa went along.^(z)

The following day he arrived in Caesarea.^(aa) Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence.

But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."^(ab)

While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.^(ac)

He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile.^(ad) But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.^(ae)

So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"

Cornelius answered: "Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes^(af) stood before me

and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.

Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.'

So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism^(ag)

but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.^(ah)

You know the message^(ai) God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news^(aj) of peace^(ak) through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.^(al)

You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—

how God anointed^(am) Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing^(an) all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.^(ao)

"We are witnesses^(ap) of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross,^(aq)

but God raised him from the dead^(ar) on the third day and caused him to be seen.

He was not seen by all the people,^(as) but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate^(at) and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

He commanded us to preach to the people^(au) and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.^(av)

All the prophets testify about him^(aw) that everyone^(ax) who believes^(ay) in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."^(az)

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on^(ba) all who heard the message.

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter^(bb) were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out^(bc) even on Gentiles.^(bd)

For they heard them speaking in tongues^[b](be) and praising God. Then Peter said,

"Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water.^(bf) They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."^(bg)

So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.^(bh) Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.