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.
Kutembenuka Mtima kwa Saulo
1Pa nthawi imeneyi, Saulo ankaopsezabe okhulupirira Ambuye nafuna kuwapha. Iye anapita kwa mkulu wa ansembe, 2ndi kukapempha makalata a chilolezo kuti apite nawo ku masunagoge a ku Damasiko, kuti ngati atakapezeka ena kumeneko otsata Njirayo, kaya ndi amuna kapena amayi, akawamange ndi kuwatenga kubwera nawo ku Yerusalemu. 3Akuyandikira ku Damasikoku paulendo wake, mwadzidzidzi kuwala kochokera kumwamba kunamuzungulira iye. 4Iye anagwa pansi ndipo anamva mawu akuti, “Saulo, Saulo ukundizunziranji Ine?”
5Saulo anafunsa kuti, “Ndinu yani Ambuye?”
Ambuye anayankha kuti, “Ndine Yesu amene iwe ukumuzunza.” 6“Tsopano dzuka, lowa mu mzindamo, ndipo udzawuzidwa zoyenera kuchita.”
7Anthu amene anali naye paulendo, anasowa chonena; iwo anamva mawu koma sanaone wina aliyense. 8Saulo anayimirira, ndipo pamene anatsekula maso ake sanathe kuona. Kotero anamugwira dzanja ndi kulowa naye mu Damasiko. 9Anakhala wosaona kwa masiku atatu ndiponso sanadye kapena kumwa kanthu kalikonse.
10Ku Damasiko kunali wophunzira wina dzina lake Hananiya. Ambuye anamuyitana mʼmasomphenya kuti, “Hananiya!”
Iye anayankha kuti, “Ine Ambuye.”
11Ambuye anamuwuza iye kuti, “Nyamuka, pita ku nyumba ya Yudasi imene ili pa Njira Yolunjika ndipo ukafunse za munthu wochokera ku Tarisisi dzina lake Saulo, pakuti akupemphera. 12Ndipo waona mʼmasomphenya munthu, dzina lake Hananiya atabwera ndi kumusanjika manja kuti aonenso.”
13Hananiya anayankha kuti, “Ambuye, ndinamva zambiri za munthu uyu ndi zonse zoyipa anachitira oyera mtima a ku Yerusalemu. 14Ndipo wabwera kuno ndi ulamuliro wa akulu ansembe kuti adzamange onse amene amayitana pa dzina lanu.”
15Koma Ambuye anati kwa Hananiya, “Pita! Munthu uyu ndi chida changa chosankhika chonyamulira dzina langa pamaso pa anthu a mitundu ina ndi mafumu awo ndiponso kwa anthu a Israeli. 16Ine ndidzamuonetsa zowawa zonse zimene ayenera kumva chifukwa cha dzina langa.”
17Pamenepo Hananiya ananyamuka ndi kukalowa mʼnyumbayo. Anamusanjika manja Sauloyo ndipo anati, “Mʼbale Saulo, Ambuye Yesu, amene anakuonekera pa msewu pamene umabwera kuno wandituma kuti uwonenso ndi kudzazidwa ndi Mzimu Woyera.” 18Nthawi yomweyo mʼmaso mwa Saulo munachoka zinthu zokhala ngati mamba ansomba, ndipo anayambanso kuona. Iye anayimirira nabatizidwa, 19ndipo atadya chakudya, anapezanso mphamvu.
Saulo Alalikira ku Damasiko
Saulo anakhala masiku angapo ndi ophunzira a ku Damasiko. 20Posakhalitsa anayamba kulalikira mʼsunagoge kuti Yesu ndiye Mwana wa Mulungu. 21Onse amene anamva iye akulalikira anadabwa ndipo anafunsa kuti, “Kodi uyu si munthu amene anayambitsa kuzunza okhulupirira ku mpingo wa ku Yerusalemu? Kodi siwabwera kuno kuti awamange ndi kuwapereka kwa akulu a ansembe?” 22Koma mphamvu za Saulo zinali kukulirakulira ndipo anathetsa nzeru Ayuda okhala ku Damasiko powatsimikizira kuti Yesu ndi Mpulumutsi.
23Patapita masiku ambiri, Ayuda anapangana zoti aphe Saulo, 24koma iye anadziwa za chiwembucho. Anthu ankadikirira usana ndi usiku pa zipata za mzindawo kuti amuphe. 25Koma ophunzira ake anamutenga usiku, namutsitsira kunja kwa mpandawo mʼdengu.
Saulo ku Yerusalemu
26Saulo atafika ku Yerusalemu, anayesetsa kulowa mʼgulu la ophunzira koma onse anamuopa chifukwa sanakhulupirire kuti anali wophunziradi. 27Koma Barnaba anamutenga napita naye kwa atumwi. Iye anawafotokozera iwo za mmene Saulo anaonera Ambuye pa njira paja, ndi kuti Ambuye anamuyankhula, ndi momwe analalikira ku Damasiko mʼdzina la Yesu mosaopa. 28Kotero Saulo anakhala nawo nayendayenda mwaufulu mu Yerusalemu akulalikira molimba mtima mʼdzina la Ambuye. 29Anayankhula ndi kutsutsana ndi Ayuda a Chihelene, koma iwo ankafuna kumupha. 30Abale atadziwa zimenezi, anamutenga Saulo ndi kupita naye ku Kaisareya, ndipo anamutumiza ku Tarisisi.
31Pamenepo mpingo wa ku Yudeya konse, ku Galileya ndi ku Samariya unakhala pamtendere, unalimbikitsidwa; ndi kupatsidwa mphamvu ndi Mzimu Woyera, unakula mʼchiwerengero, ndi kukhala moopa Ambuye.
Eneya ndi Tabita
32Pamene Petro amayendera mpingo, anapita kukachezera oyera mtima a ku Luda. 33Kumeneko anakapeza munthu dzina lake Eneya, wofa ziwalo amene anagona pa mphasa kwa zaka zisanu ndi zitatu. 34Petro anati kwa iye, “Eneya, Yesu Khristu akukuchiritsa iwe, dzuka ndipo yalula mphasa yako.” Nthawi yomweyo Eneya anayimirira. 35Anthu onse amene anakhala ku Luda ndi ku Sharoni anamuona ndipo anatembenukira kwa Ambuye.
36Ku Yopa kunali wophunzira wina dzina lake Tabita (mʼChigriki amati Dorika) amene nthawi zonse ankachita zachifundo ndiponso kuthandiza osauka. 37Nthawi imeneyi anadwala ndipo anamwalira, anasambitsa thupi lake, namugoneka mʼchipinda chammwamba. 38Popeza ku Yopa kunali pafupi ndi Luda; pamene ophunzira anamva kuti Petro anali ku Luda, anatuma anthu awiri kuti akamudandaulire kuti, “Chonde bwerani kuno msanga!”
39Petro ananyamuka, napita nawo, ndipo atafika anamutengera ku chipinda chammwamba. Amasiye onse anayima momuzungulira akulira ndi kumuonetsa mwinjiro ndi zovala zina zimene Dorika ankapanga akanali moyo.
40Petro anatulutsa anthu onse mʼchipindamo; ndipo anagwada pansi ndi kupemphera. Anatembenukira mtembo uja nati, “Tabita, dzuka,” Tabita anatsekula maso ake, ndipo ataona Petro anakhala pansi. 41Petro anamugwira dzanja, namuyimiritsa. Ndipo anayitana okhulupirira ndi amasiye namupereka wamoyo. 42Zimenezi zinadziwika ku Yopa konse, ndipo anthu ambiri anakhulupirira Ambuye. 43Petro anakhala ku Yopa kwa masiku ambiri kwa munthu wina, dzina lake Simoni, mmisiri wa zikopa.
