Saul's Conversion
1Meanwhile,
Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the
Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
2and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he
found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or
women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3As he neared
Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. 4He
fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you,
Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are
persecuting," he replied.
6"Now get up and
go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men
traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the
sound but did not see anyone.
8Saul got up from
the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see
nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9For three days
he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In
Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called
to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he
answered. 11The
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.
12In a vision he
has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him
to restore his sight." 13"Lord,"
Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man
and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
14And he has come
here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who
call on your name." 15But
the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen
instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their
kings and before the people of Israel.
16I will show him
how much he must suffer for my name."
17Then
Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands
on 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." 18Immediately,
something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could
see again. He got up and was baptized,
19and after
taking some food, he regained his strength.
