Saul Becomes a Believer
1Meanwhile, Saul continued to oppose the Lord’s followers. He said they would be put to death. He went to the high priest. 2He asked the priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus. He wanted to find men and women who belonged to the Way of Jesus. The letters would allow him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3On his journey, Saul approached Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground. He heard a voice speak to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you opposing me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus,” he replied. “I am the one you are opposing. 6Now get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you must do.”
7The men traveling with Saul stood there. They weren’t able to speak. They had heard the sound. But they didn’t see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind. He didn’t eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a believer named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision. “Ananias!” he said.
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying. 12In a vision Saul has seen a man come and place his hands on him. That man’s name is Ananias. In the vision, Ananias placed his hands on Saul so he could see again.”
13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I’ve heard many reports about this man. They say he has done great harm to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14Now he has come here to arrest all those who worship you. The chief priests have given him authority to do this.”
15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will announce my name to the Gentiles and to their kings. He will also announce my name to the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. He placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Right away something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. And he could see again. He got up and was baptized. 19After eating some food, he got his strength back.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the believers in Damascus. 20Right away he began to preach in the synagogues. He taught that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Isn’t he the man who caused great trouble in Jerusalem? Didn’t he make trouble for those who worship Jesus? Hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22But Saul grew more and more powerful. The Jews living in Damascus couldn’t believe what was happening. Saul proved to them that Jesus is the Messiah.
23After many days, the Jews had a meeting. They planned to kill Saul. 24But he learned about their plan. Day and night they watched the city gates closely in order to kill him. 25But his followers helped him escape by night. They lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the believers. But they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really one of Jesus’ followers. 27But Barnabas took him to the apostles. He told them about Saul’s journey. He said that Saul had seen the Lord. He told how the Lord had spoken to Saul. Barnabas also said that Saul had preached without fear in Jesus’ name in Damascus. 28So Saul stayed with the believers. He moved about freely in Jerusalem. He spoke boldly in the Lord’s name. 29He talked and argued with the Greek Jews. But they tried to kill him. 30The other believers heard about this. They took Saul down to Caesarea. From there they sent him off to Tarsus.
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. The church was strengthened and grew larger. That’s because they worshiped the Lord and the Holy Spirit helped them.
Peter Heals Aeneas and Dorcas
32Peter traveled around the country. He went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33There he found a disabled man named Aeneas. For eight years the man had spent most of his time in bed. 34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up! Roll up your mat!” So Aeneas got up right away. 35Everyone who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him. They turned to the Lord.
36In Joppa there was a believer named Tabitha. Her name in the Greek language is Dorcas. She was always doing good and helping poor people. 37About that time she became sick and died. Her body was washed and placed in a room upstairs. 38Lydda was near Joppa. The believers heard that Peter was in Lydda. So they sent two men to him. They begged him, “Please come at once!”
39Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him crying. They showed him the robes and other clothes Dorcas had made before she died.
40Peter sent them all out of the room. Then he got down on his knees and prayed. He turned toward the dead woman. He said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and especially the widows. He brought her to them. They saw that she was alive. 42This became known all over Joppa. Many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time. He stayed with Simon, a man who worked with leather.
掃羅歸主
1掃羅繼續用兇狠的話恐嚇主的門徒。他去見大祭司， 2要取得授權書到大馬士革的各會堂搜捕信耶穌的人，無論男女，都要把他們押回耶路撒冷。
3當他快到大馬士革的時候，突然有一道光從天上射下來，四面照著他。 4他倒在地上，聽見有聲音對他說：「掃羅！掃羅！你為什麼迫害我？」 5他說：「主啊，你是誰？」那聲音說：「我就是你所迫害的耶穌。 6起來！進城去，有人會告訴你該做的事。」
7同行的人站在那裡只聽見聲音，卻看不見人，嚇得張口結舌。 8掃羅爬起來，睜大眼睛，卻什麼也看不見，同伴拉著他的手進了大馬士革。 9一連三天，掃羅什麼也看不見，也不吃也不喝。
10這時候，在大馬士革有個門徒名叫亞拿尼亞，他在異象中聽見主呼喚他的名字，就回答說：「主啊，我在這裡。」
11主說：「起來，到直街的猶大家去見一個來自大數、名叫掃羅的人，他正在向我禱告。 12我讓他在異象中看見一個名叫亞拿尼亞的人去他那裡，把手按在他身上，使他恢復視力。」
13亞拿尼亞回答說：「主啊！我聽見許多人說他對耶路撒冷的信徒大加迫害。 14他來這裡是得到祭司長的授權，要拘捕所有求告你名的人。」
15主對亞拿尼亞說：「你放心去吧！他是我揀選的器皿，要向外族人、君王和以色列人宣揚我的名。 16我會讓他知道他必為我的名而受許多的苦。」
17亞拿尼亞去了，進了那家，就把手按在掃羅身上，說：「掃羅弟兄，在你來的路上向你顯現的主耶穌派我來使你重見光明、被聖靈充滿。」 18頓時，掃羅的眼睛上有鱗片似的東西脫落，他立刻恢復了視力，便起來接受了洗禮。 19他吃過東西之後，體力也恢復了。他和大馬士革的門徒住了幾天之後， 20便到各會堂去宣講：「耶穌是上帝的兒子。」
21聽的人都大吃一驚，說：「他不就是那在耶路撒冷迫害信徒的人嗎？他到這裡來不是要把大馬士革的信徒押去見祭司長嗎？」
22但掃羅越發有能力，引經據典證明耶穌是基督，使大馬士革的猶太人驚慌失措。
掃羅逃生
23過了一段日子，猶太人圖謀殺死掃羅。 24他們晝夜在城門守候，伺機下手，但這陰謀被掃羅知道了。 25他的門徒趁夜間用筐子把他從城牆上縋下去。
26掃羅逃到耶路撒冷後，曾設法與當地的門徒聯絡，可是他們都怕他，不相信他是門徒。 27只有巴拿巴接待他，帶他去見使徒，向他們陳述掃羅如何在路上遇見主，主如何對他說話，他又如何勇敢地在大馬士革奉耶穌的名傳道。 28於是，掃羅就在耶路撒冷與使徒一起出入來往，奉主的名放膽傳道。 29他常常跟那些講希臘話的猶太人辯論，於是他們打算殺掉他。 30弟兄姊妹知道這消息後，就把掃羅帶到凱撒利亞，然後送他到大數去。
31當時，猶太、加利利、撒瑪利亞各地的教會都很平安，得到了堅固。信徒們非常敬畏主，又得到聖靈的安慰，人數越來越多。
彼得醫治癱子
32彼得四處奔波，來到呂大探訪那裡的信徒， 33遇見一個已經臥床八年、名叫以尼雅的癱子。 34彼得對他說：「以尼雅，耶穌基督已經醫好你了，起來收拾你的墊子吧！」他立刻應聲而起。 35呂大和沙崙的居民看見他，都歸向了主。
彼得使死人復活
36在約帕有個樂善好施的女信徒名叫戴碧達，希臘話叫多加，意思是「羚羊」。 37當時，她患病死了。有人將她的屍體洗乾淨後，停放在樓上。 38呂大和約帕相距不遠，門徒聽說彼得在呂大，就派兩個人趕去請他立刻來約帕。 39彼得便隨他們一同到了那裡，有人領他上樓。眾寡婦都站在彼得周圍哭，並把多加生前縫制的內衣、外衣給他看。
40彼得叫她們都出去，自己跪下禱告，然後轉身對死者說：「戴碧達，起來！」她便睜開了眼睛，看見彼得，就坐了起來。 41彼得伸手扶她起來後，叫那些在外面等候的門徒和寡婦進來，把活過來的多加交給他們。 42這事傳遍了整個約帕，許多人都信了主。 43彼得繼續留在約帕，在當地一個名叫西門的皮革匠家住了好些日子。
