Modern Literal Version
[Acts 9]




     {Summer AD 37. Damascus. Saul is around 35 years old. Herod Antipas deposed. Herod Agrippa 1st king, 5th ruler of Galilee & Perea.}



     9:1 But Saul, still breathing his words of threatening and of murder toward the disciples of the Lord, came near to the high-priest, 9:2 asked from him letters *for Damascus to the synagogues, *that if he found some who are of the Way, both men and women, having been bound, he might lead themto Jerusalem.



     9:3 But it happened while* he traveled; when he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him, 9:4 and having fallen upon the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?



     9:5 But he said, Who are you, Lord?



     But the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. {T}It is harsh for you to kick toward cattle-prods. {Act 26:14}



     9:6And trembling and being amazed, he said, What do you wish me to do*?



     And the Lord said to him,But stand up and enter into the city and it will be spoken to you what it is essential for you to do*.



     9:7 But the men traveling together with him stood speechless, indeed hearing the voice, but viewing no one. 9:8 Now Saul was raised from the earth, and after his eyes had been opened, he was seeing nothing. But leading him by the hand, they led him into Damascus. 9:9 And he was there three days not seeing and did not eat nor drink.




     9:10 Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus, Ananias by name, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias.



     And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.



     9:11 Now the Lord said to him, When you have stood up, travel to the lane which is called Straight, seek one from Tarsus, Saul by name, in the house of Judas. For* behold, he is praying; 9:12and he saw in a vision a man, Ananias by name, who entered and laid a hand on him, *that he might recover his sight.



     9:13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man and how-much evil he did* to your holy-ones in Jerusalem, 9:14 and he has authority from the high-priests here to bind all who are calling upon your name.



     9:15 But the Lord said to him, Travel on, because this one is a chosen vessel for me to bear my name in the sight of the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 9:16for* I will be showing him how-much it is essential for him to suffer on behalf of my name.




          {Examples of those who are saved in the New Testament: Acts 2:14-42; 8:5-13; 8:30-39; 10:34-48; 16:13-15; 16:25-34; 18:8a; 18:8b; 19:1-7; Saul/Apostle Paul: 9:17-18, 22:6-16, 26:12-18.}



     9:17 Now Ananias went away and entered into the house, and having laid his hands upon him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, whom was seen by you on the road on which you were coming, has sent me,*that you may recover your sight and may be filled with the Holy Spirit. 9:18 And immediately thingslike scales fell from his eyes and he recovered his sight, and he stood up and was immersed*; 9:19 and he took nourishment and was strengthened.




     Now Saul happened to be with the disciples who were in Damascus for some days. 9:20 And immediately in the synagogues he was preaching the Christ, that this one is the Son of God. 9:21 Now all who are hearing him were being astonished and were saying, Is this not the one who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who are calling upon this name? And he had come here *for this purpose, in order that he might lead them who have been bound in front of the high-priests. 9:22 But Saul was being empowered more and was confusing the Jews who are dwelling in Damascus, lecturing that this Jesus is the Christ.




     9:23 Now as a considerable number of days were being fulfilled, the Jews planned together to assassinate him; 9:24 but their pact became known to Saul. And they were guarding the gates both day and night *that they might assassinate him. 9:25 But the disciples took him by night and dropped him down through the wall, having lowered him in a basket.




     {37-39 AD. Arabia. Saul's retirement. Gal 1:17-18. AD dates vary due to many not putting this in the chronology.}



     {Sept., 39 AD. Jerusalem. Paul's first visit there.}



     9:26 Now after Saul came* into Jerusalem, he was attempting to be joined to the disciples, and all were fearing him, not believing that he is a disciple. 9:27 But Barnabas grabbed him and led him to the apostles, and described to them how he saw the Lord on the road and that he spoke to him and how in Damascus he spoke boldly in the name of Jesus. 9:28 And as he was traveling into Jerusalem with them, he was speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. 9:29 And he both was speaking and was debating together with the Grecian Jews, but they were undertaking the task to assassinate him.



     {40-43 AD Paul in Tarsus & Cilicia.}



     9:30 Now after the brethren fully knew it, they brought* him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus.



     9:31 Therefore indeed, all the congregations* throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace. They were being multiplied, being built up, and having conducted-themselves in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.




     {40 AD. Lydda & Joppa. Herod Antipas banished.}



     9:32 Now Peter, going through all the regions, happened to also come down to the holy-ones, those who dwell at Lydda. 9:33 Now he found a certain paralyzed man there, Aeneas by name, who was laying in his pallet from eight years ago. 9:34 And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Stand up and spread your bed for yourself. And immediately he stood up. 9:35 And all who are dwelling at Lydda, and Sharon, saw him, and they turned to the Lord.




     9:36 Now there was a certain disciple in Joppa, Tabitha by name, which by translation, is called*Dorcas. This one was full of good works and of various charities, which she was doing*. 9:37 Now she happened to die in those days, having been sick. Now having fully-washed her, they placed her in an upstairs-room. 9:38 Now Lydda was near to Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter is in it, sent for him, encouraging him not to hesitate to come to them. 9:39 Now having stood up, Peter went together with them, those who came*to him, and they led him into the upstairs-room. And all the widows stood by him weeping and showing the tunics and garments; as many as Dorcas was making*, whilebeing with them. 9:40 But after Peter had cast them all outside; having placed his knees down, he prayed. And having turned again toward the body, he said, Tabitha, rise* up. And she opened her eyes, and after she saw Peter, she sat up. 9:41 Now he gave her his hand and stood her up. And having summoned the holy-ones and widows, he presented her as living. 9:42 Now it became known throughout the whole of Joppa and many believed on the Lord. 9:43 Now he happened for him to remain a considerable number of days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.





Modern Literal Version Preface & Appendix , copyright 1987, 1999, 2013 by G. Allen Walker for the MLV New Testament Committee.
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