[Acts 9]

 

             {Summer AD 37. Damascus. Saul is around 35 years old. Herod Antipas deposed. Herod Agrippa 1^st king, 5^th 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 should find some who are of the Way, both men and women, he might lead them who have been bound to Jerusalem.

             {Acts: 9:3-19, 22:6-16, 26:12-18. Saul is saved.}

             ^9:3 But while^* he was traveling; it happened for him to draw near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him, ^9:4 and he fell upon the earth and 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}

             ^9:6 And 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 have 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, Stand up, travel to the lane which is called Straight, and seek one from Tarsus, Saul by name, in the house of Judas. For^* behold, he is praying; ^9:12 and he saw in a vision, a man, Ananias by name, who entered and laid his hand upon 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 the ones 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; ^9:16 for^* 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 he laid his hands upon him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me, the one who was seen by you on the road on which you were coming, ^*that you may recover your sight and may be filled with the Holy Spirit. ^9:18 And immediately things like 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, This one is the Son of God. ^9:21 Now all who are hearing him were astonished and were saying, Is this not the one who made havoc in Jerusalem of the ones calling upon this name? And he has 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 was 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, 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 he was traveling into Jerusalem with them, and 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 to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

             ^9:31 Therefore indeed, all the congregations^* throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria were having peace. They were being multiplied, being built up, and conducting-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, the ones dwelling 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 dwelling at Lydda, and Sharon, who saw him, turned over 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, after she was sick. Now after they fully-washed her, they placed her in an upstairs-room. ^9:38 Now Lydda being 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 Peter stood up and went together-with them, those who came^*, and they led him into the upstairs-room. And all the widows presented to him, weeping and showing the tunics and garments; as many as Dorcas was making^*, while being with them. ^9:40 Peter cast them all outside and placed his knees down and prayed and turned again toward the body and said, Tabitha, rise^* up. And she opened her eyes and saw Peter, then she sat up. ^9:41 Now he gave her his hand and stood her up. And he summoned the holy-ones and widows and, he presented her as living. ^9:42 Now it became known throughout the whole of Joppa and many believed upon the Lord. ^9:43 Now he happened for him to remain a considerable number of days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.