Acts 9

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The Road to Damascus

1Ὁ Δὲ Σαῦλος ἔτι ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς καὶ φόνου εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ Κυρίου προσελθὼν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ

1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest

2ᾐτήσατο παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὰς εἰς Δαμασκὸν πρὸς τὰς συναγωγάς ὅπως ἐάν τινας εὕρῃ τῆς Ὁδοῦ ὄντας ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας δεδεμένους ἀγάγῃ εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ

2and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

3Ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ ἐξαίφνης τε αὐτὸν περιήστραψεν φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

3As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

4καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσεν φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ Σαοὺλ Σαούλ τί με διώκεις

4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”

5Εἶπεν δέ Τίς εἶ Κύριε Ὁ δέ Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις

5“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.

6ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λαληθήσεταί σοι ὅ τί σε δεῖ ποιεῖν

6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7Οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ συνοδεύοντες αὐτῷ εἱστήκεισαν ἐνεοί ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες

7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.

8ἠγέρθη δὲ Σαῦλος ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀνεῳγμένων δὲ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ἔβλεπεν χειραγωγοῦντες δὲ αὐτὸν εἰσήγαγον εἰς Δαμασκόν

8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

9καὶ ἦν ἡμέρας τρεῖς μὴ βλέπων καὶ οὐκ ἔφαγεν οὐδὲ ἔπιεν

9For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

10Ἦν δέ τις μαθητὴς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὀνόματι Ἁνανίας καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν ὁράματι ὁ Κύριος Ἁνανία Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ Κύριε

10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.

11Ὁ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν Ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τὴν καλουμένην Εὐθεῖαν καὶ ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα Σαῦλον ὀνόματι Ταρσέα ἰδοὺ γὰρ προσεύχεται

11“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

12καὶ εἶδεν ἄνδρα ἐν ὁράματι Ἁνανίαν ὀνόματι εἰσελθόντα καὶ ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ τὰς χεῖρας ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃ

12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13Ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Ἁνανίας Κύριε ἤκουσα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου ὅσα κακὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις σου ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ

13But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

14καὶ ὧδε ἔχει ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δῆσαι πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου

14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

15Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος Πορεύου ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ἐστίν μοι οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐθνῶν τε καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ

15“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.

16ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑποδείξω αὐτῷ ὅσα δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου παθεῖν

16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

17Ἀπῆλθεν δὲ Ἁνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ’ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπεν Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ ὁ Κύριος ἀπέσταλκέν με Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος Ἁγίου

17So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “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.”

18Καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὡς λεπίδες ἀνέβλεψέν τε καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη

18At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,

19καὶ λαβὼν τροφὴν ἐνίσχυσεν Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐν Δαμασκῷ μαθητῶν ἡμέρας τινὰς

19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Saul Preaches at Damascus

20Καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

20Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”

21Ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες καὶ ἔλεγον Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πορθήσας εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο καὶ ὧδε εἰς τοῦτο ἐληλύθει ἵνα δεδεμένους αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς

21All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

22Σαῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμοῦτο καὶ συνέχυννεν τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Δαμασκῷ συμβιβάζων ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός

22But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

The Escape from Damascus

23Ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν

23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,

24ἐγνώσθη δὲ τῷ Σαύλῳ ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὐτῶν παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ τὰς πύλας ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀνέλωσιν

24but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.

25λαβόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς διὰ τοῦ τείχους καθῆκαν αὐτὸν χαλάσαντες ἐν σπυρίδι

25One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.

Saul in Jerusalem

26Παραγενόμενος δὲ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπείραζεν κολλᾶσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς καὶ πάντες ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτόν μὴ πιστεύοντες ὅτι ἐστὶν μαθητής

26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

27Βαρνάβας δὲ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτὸν ἤγαγεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶδεν τὸν Κύριον καὶ ὅτι ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ καὶ πῶς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ἐπαρρησιάσατο ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ

27Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.

28Καὶ ἦν μετ’ αὐτῶν εἰσπορευόμενος καὶ ἐκπορευόμενος εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ παρρησιαζόμενος ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου

28So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

29ἐλάλει τε καὶ συνεζήτει πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς οἱ δὲ ἐπεχείρουν ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν

29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

30ἐπιγνόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κατήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς Καισάρειαν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν αὐτὸν εἰς Ταρσόν

30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

The Healing of Aeneas

31Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησία καθ’ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Γαλιλαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας εἶχεν εἰρήνην οἰκοδομουμένη καὶ πορευομένη τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τῇ παρακλήσει τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπληθύνετο

31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

32Ἐγένετο δὲ Πέτρον διερχόμενον διὰ πάντων κατελθεῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Λύδδα

32As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.

33εὗρεν δὲ ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπόν τινα ὀνόματι Αἰνέαν ἐξ ἐτῶν ὀκτὼ κατακείμενον ἐπὶ κραβάττου ὃς ἦν παραλελυμένος

33There he found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.

34καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος Αἰνέα ἰᾶταί σε Ἰησοῦς Χριστός ἀνάστηθι καὶ στρῶσον σεαυτῷ καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέστη

34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,

35καὶ εἶδαν αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες Λύδδα καὶ τὸν Σαρῶνα οἵτινες ἐπέστρεψαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον

35and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

The Raising of Tabitha

36Ἐν Ἰόππῃ δέ τις ἦν μαθήτρια ὀνόματι Ταβιθά ἣ διερμηνευομένη λέγεται Δορκάς αὕτη ἦν πλήρης ἔργων ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἐλεημοσυνῶν ὧν ἐποίει

36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.

37ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀσθενήσασαν αὐτὴν ἀποθανεῖν λούσαντες δὲ ἔθηκαν αὐτὴν ἐν ὑπερῴῳ

37At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.

38ἐγγὺς δὲ οὔσης Λύδδας τῇ Ἰόππῃ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Πέτρος ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀπέστειλαν δύο ἄνδρας πρὸς αὐτὸν παρακαλοῦντες Μὴ ὀκνήσῃς διελθεῖν ἕως ἡμῶν

38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”

39Ἀναστὰς δὲ Πέτρος συνῆλθεν αὐτοῖς ὃν παραγενόμενον ἀνήγαγον εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον καὶ παρέστησαν αὐτῷ πᾶσαι αἱ χῆραι κλαίουσαι καὶ ἐπιδεικνύμεναι χιτῶνας καὶ ἱμάτια ὅσα ἐποίει μετ’ αὐτῶν οὖσα ἡ Δορκάς

39So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40Ἐκβαλὼν δὲ ἔξω πάντας ὁ Πέτρος καὶ θεὶς τὰ γόνατα προσηύξατο καὶ ἐπιστρέψας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα εἶπεν Ταβιθά ἀνάστηθι ἡ δὲ ἤνοιξεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῆς καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὸν Πέτρον ἀνεκάθισεν

40Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.

41δοὺς δὲ αὐτῇ χεῖρα ἀνέστησεν αὐτήν φωνήσας δὲ τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ τὰς χήρας παρέστησεν αὐτὴν ζῶσαν

41Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

42Γνωστὸν δὲ ἐγένετο καθ’ ὅλης τῆς Ἰόππης καὶ ἐπίστευσαν πολλοὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον

42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

43Ἐγένετο δὲ ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς μεῖναι ἐν Ἰόππῃ παρά τινι Σίμωνι βυρσεῖ

43And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.