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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 9
Jesus appears to Saul—Saul a chosen vessel—Ananias restores
Saul's sight—He is baptized and begins his ministry—Peter heals
AEneas and raises Dorcas from death.
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1 AND Saul, yet
breathing out athreatenings and slaughter against the
disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him aletters
to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they
were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
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3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus:
and suddenly there shined round about him a alight from
heaven:
4 And he afell to the earth,
and heard a voice saying unto him, bSaul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the
Lord said, I am aJesus whom thou persecutest: it is
hard for thee to bkick against the pricks.
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6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord,
awhat wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said
unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou
must do.
7 aAnd the men which
journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a bvoice, but
seeing cno man.
8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his
eyes were opened, he saw no
mana: but they led him by the hand,
and brought him into Damascus.
9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
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8a he saw no man This means
that Saul/Paul was not blind. It does not mean that he did not see Jesus.
Saul saw Jesus as verses 17 and 27 attest, and then Saul was frightened into
falling to the
ground and closing his eyes. And then upon opening them again was when Saul
was noted to be blind, not that he did not see the personage of the Lord.
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10 ¶ And there was a certain disciple at
Damascus, named aAnanias; and to him said the Lord in a
bvision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here,
Lord.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
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13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard
by many of this man, how much aevil he hath done to thy
saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
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15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for
he is a achosen vessel unto me, to bbear
my cname before the dGentiles, and
ekings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he
must asuffer for my name's sake.
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17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into
the house; and putting his ahands on him said, Brother
Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that bappeared unto thee
in the way as thou camest, hath csent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the dHoly
Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as
it had been scales: and he received asight forthwith, and
arose, and was bbaptized.
19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
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20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed,
and said; Is not this he that adestroyed them which called
on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might
bring them bbound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
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23 ¶ And after that many days were
fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to akill him:
24 But their alaying await
was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
25 Then the disciples took him by night, and
let him down by the wall in a abasket.
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26 And when Saul was come to
aJerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples:
but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought
him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had
aseen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him,
and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
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29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and adisputed against the Grecians: but they went
about to slay him.
30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
31 Then had the churches rest throughout all
Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were aedified; and
walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the bcomfort of the
Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
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32 ¶ And it came to pass, as Peter passed
throughout all quarters, he came down also to the
asaints which dwelt at Lydda.
33 And there he found a certain man named
Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was asick
of the palsy.
34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
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36 ¶ Now there was at Joppa a certain
disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this
awoman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she
did.
37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
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39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled
down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha,
aarise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter,
she sat up.
41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted
her up, and when he had called the asaints and widows,
presented her balive.
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42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
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