Atos 9

¹ AndSaul (who is also Paul), persecuting Christ most cruelly, who did as it were flee before him, falls into Christ's hands, and is overcome: and with a singular example of the goodness of God, in place of punishment which he justly deserved for his cruelty, is not only kindly received, but is also even by the mouth of God appointed an apostle, and is confirmed by the ministry and witness of Ananias.Saul, yetThis is a sign that Saul's stomach boiled and cast out great threats to murder the disciples.breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

² And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of thisAny trade of life which a man take upon himself the Jews call a «way».way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

³ Now as he iourneyed, it came to passe that as he was come neere to Damascus, suddenly there shined rounde about him a light from heauen.

⁴ And hee fell to the earth, and heard a voyce, saying 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]This is a proverb which is spoken of those who through their stubbornness hurt themselves.hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

⁶ He then both trembling and astonied, sayd, Lord, what wilt thou that I doe? And the Lord sayd vnto him, Arise and goe into the citie, and it shall be tolde thee what thou shalt doe.

⁷ And the men which journeyed with himStood still and could not go one step forward, but remained amazed as stood still like statues.stood speechless, hearing aThey heard Paul's voice: for afterwards it is plainly said in (Act_22:9) that they did not hear the voice of the one who spoke. Others, however, try to reconcile these places (which seem to contradict) by saying that the men with Saul heard the sound of a voice, but did not hear it clearly.voice, but seeing no man.

⁸ And Saul arose from the ground, and opened his eyes, but sawe no man. Then led they him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus,

⁹ Where he was three dayes without sight, and neither ate nor dranke.

¹⁰ And there was a certaine disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him sayd the Lord in a vision, Ananias; he sayd, Beholde, I am here Lord.

¹¹ And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for [one] called Saul, ofTarsus was a city of Cilicia near to Anchiala. It is said that Sardanapalus built these two cities in one day.Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

¹² (And he sawe in a vision a man named Ananias comming in to him, and putting his hands on him, that he might receiue his sight.)

¹³ Then Ananias answered, Lord, I haue heard by many of this man, howe much euill hee hath done to thy saints at Hierusalem.

¹⁴ Moreouer here hee hath authoritie of the hie Priestes, to binde all that call on thy Name.

¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is aTo bear my name in.chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

¹⁶ For I willI will plainly show him.shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

¹⁷ And Ananias went his way, and entered intoInto Judas' house.the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, & suddenly he receiued sight, and arose, and was baptized,

¹⁹ And receiued meate, & was strengthened. So was Saul certaine dayes with the disciples which were at Damascus.

²⁰ Paul begins immediately to execute the office which was given and commanded to him, never consulting with flesh and blood.And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

²¹ So that all that heard him, were amased, and sayde, Is not this hee, that made hauocke of them which called on this Name in Hierusalem, and came hither for that intent, that hee should bring them bound vnto the hie Priests?

²² Paul does not do battle only with his own authority, but also with the testimonies of the Prophets.But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus,By conferring places of the Scripture together, as skilful craftsman do when they make something, they used to gather all parts together, to make them agree fitly one with another.proving that this is very Christ.

²³ Paul, who was before a persecutor, now has persecution planned against himself, though it will not happen for a long time.And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

²⁴ But their laying awayte was knowen of Saul: nowe they watched the gates day and night, that they might kill him.

²⁵ We are not forbidden to avoid and eschew the dangers and conspiracies that the enemies of God lay for us, but only if we do not swerve from our vocation.Then the disciples took him by night, and let [him] down by the wall in a basket.

²⁶ In ancient times no man was rashly or lightly received into the members and the sheep of the Church, much less to be a pastor.And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

²⁷ But Barnabas tooke him, and brought him to the Apostles, and declared to them, howe hee had seene the Lord in the way, and that hee had spoken vnto him, and how he had spoken boldly at Damascus in the Name of Iesus.

²⁸ The steadfast servants of God must look out for danger after danger: yet God watches out for them.And he wasWith Peter and James, for he says that he saw none of the apostles but them; (Gal_1:18-19).with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

²⁹ And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against theSee (Act_6:1).Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

³⁰ The ministers of the word may change their place with the advice and counsel of the congregation and church.[Which] when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ The result of persecutions is the building of the Church, so that we will patiently wait for the Lord.Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and wereThis is a borrowed type of speech which signifies establishment and increase.edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

³² Peter's apostleship is confirmed by the healing of the man who suffered from paralysis.And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all [quarters], he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.

³³ And there he found a certaine man named Aeneas, which had kept his couch eight yeeres, and was sicke of the palsie.

³⁴ Then said Peter vnto him, Aeneas, Iesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise and trusse thy couch together; he arose immediately.

³⁵ And all that dwelt atLydda was a city of Palestine, and Saron a first-class country, and a place which was excellent for grazing, between Caesarea of Palestine and Mount Tabor, and the lake of Gennesaret, which goes far beyond Joppa.Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Peter clearly declares, by raising up a dead body through the name of Christ, that he preaches the glad tidings of life.Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

³⁷ And it came to passe in those dayes, that she was sicke & dyed: and when they had washed her, they layd her in an vpper chamber.

³⁸ Now forasmuch as Lydda was nere to Ioppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent vnto him two men, desiring that he would not delay to come vnto them.

³⁹ Then Peter arose and came with them: and when hee was come, they brought him into the vpper chamber, where all the widowes stoode by him weeping, and shewing the coates and garments, which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

⁴⁰ But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled downe, and prayed, and turned him to the body, and sayd, Tabitha, arise; she opened her eyes, and when she sawe Peter, sate vp.

⁴¹ Then he gaue her the hand and lift her vp, and called the Saints and widowes, and restored her aliue.

⁴² And it was knowen throughout all Ioppa, and many beleeued in the Lord.

⁴³ And it came to passe that he taried many dayes in Ioppa with one Simon a Tanner.