The Road to Damascus (Acts 22:1–21; Acts 26:1–23)
1 CPDV Now Saul, still breathing threats and beatings against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, BSB BSB: Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
2 CPDV and he petitioned him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that, if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he could lead them as prisoners to Jerusalem. BSB BSB: and 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.
3 CPDV And as he made the journey, it happened that he was approaching Damascus. And suddenly, a light from heaven shone around him. BSB BSB: As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 CPDV And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” BSB BSB: He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
5 CPDV And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goad.” BSB BSB: “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.
6 CPDV And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” BSB BSB: “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 CPDV And the Lord said to him, “Rise up and go into the city, and there you will be told what you ought to do.” Now the men who were accompanying him were standing stupefied, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no one. BSB BSB: The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
8 CPDV Then Saul rose up from the ground. And upon opening his eyes, he saw nothing. So leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. BSB BSB: Saul 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.
9 CPDV And in that place, he was without sight for three days, and he neither ate nor drank. BSB BSB: For three days he was without sight, and he did not eat or drink anything.
Ananias Baptizes Saul 10 CPDV Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” BSB BSB: In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11 CPDV And the Lord said to him: “Rise up and go into the street that is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, the one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying.” BSB BSB: “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.
12 CPDV (And Paul saw a man named Ananias entering and imposing hands upon him, so that he might receive his sight.) BSB BSB: In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 CPDV But Ananias responded: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
14 CPDV And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name.” BSB BSB: And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”
15 CPDV Then the Lord said to him: “Go, for this one is an instrument chosen by me to convey my name before nations and kings and the sons of Israel. BSB BSB: “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.
16 CPDV For I will reveal to him how much he must suffer on behalf of my name.” BSB BSB: I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”
17 CPDV And Ananias departed. And he entered the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, he who appeared to you on the way by which you arrived, sent me so that you would receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” BSB BSB: So 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.”
18 CPDV And immediately, it was as if scales had fallen from his eyes, and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized. BSB BSB: At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,
19 CPDV And when he had taken a meal, he was strengthened. Now he was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days. BSB BSB: and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
Saul Preaches at Damascus 20 CPDV And he was continuously preaching Jesus in the synagogues: that he is the Son of God. BSB BSB: Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”
21 CPDV And all who heard him were astonished, and they said, “Is this not the one who, in Jerusalem, was fighting against those invoking this name, and who came here for this: so that he might lead them away to the leaders of the priests?” BSB BSB: All 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?”
22 CPDV But Saul was increasing to a greater extent in ability, and so he was confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus, by affirming that he is the Christ. BSB BSB: But 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 23 CPDV And when many days were completed, the Jews took counsel as one, so that they might put him to death. BSB BSB: After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,
24 CPDV But their treachery became known to Saul. Now they were also watching the gates, day and night, so that they might put him to death. BSB BSB: but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
25 CPDV But the disciples, taking him away by night, sent him over the wall by letting him down in a basket. BSB BSB: One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.
Saul in Jerusalem 26 CPDV And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. BSB BSB: When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27 CPDV But Barnabas took him aside and led him to the Apostles. And he explained to them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how, in Damascus, he had acted faithfully in the name of Jesus. BSB BSB: Then 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.
28 CPDV And he was with them, entering and departing Jerusalem, and acting faithfully in the name of the Lord. BSB BSB: So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
29 CPDV He also was speaking with the Gentiles and disputing with the Greeks. But they were seeking to kill him. BSB BSB: He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
30 CPDV And when the brothers had realized this, they brought him to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus. BSB BSB: When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
The Healing of Aeneas 31 CPDV Certainly, the Church had peace throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and it was being built up, while walking in the fear of the Lord, and it was being filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: Then 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.
32 CPDV Then it happened that Peter, as he traveled around everywhere, came to the saints who were living at Lydda. BSB BSB: As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
33 CPDV But he found there a certain man, named Aeneas, who was a paralytic, who had lain in bed for eight years. BSB BSB: There he found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.
34 CPDV And Peter said to him: “Aeneas, the Lord Jesus Christ heals you. Rise up and arrange your bed.” And immediately he rose up. BSB BSB: “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,
35 CPDV And all who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord. BSB BSB: and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
The Raising of Tabitha (John 11:38–44)
36 CPDV Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which in translation is called Dorcas. She was filled with the good works and almsgiving that she was accomplishing. BSB BSB: In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.
37 CPDV And it happened that, in those days, she became ill and died. And when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. BSB BSB: At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room.
38 CPDV Now since Lydda was close to Joppa, the disciples, upon hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, asking him: “Do not be slow in coming to us.” BSB BSB: Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to urge him, “Come to us without delay.”
39 CPDV Then Peter, rising up, went with them. And when he had arrived, they led him to an upper room. And all the widows were standing around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and garments that Dorcas had made for them. BSB BSB: So 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.
40 CPDV And when they had all been sent outside, Peter, kneeling down, prayed. And turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes and, upon seeing Peter, sat up again. BSB BSB: Then 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.
41 CPDV And offering her his hand, he lifted her up. And when he had called in the saints and the widows, he presented her alive. BSB BSB: Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.
42 CPDV Now this became known throughout all of Joppa. And many believed in the Lord. BSB BSB: This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
43 CPDV And it happened that he resided for many days in Joppa, with a certain Simon, a tanner. BSB BSB: And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.