Acts 9

1 Meanwhile, Saul [still breathing out, full of] was still breathing out murderous threats [and slaughter, intense violence] against the disciples [learners, followers] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority]. He approached [came near, drew close to] the high priest [the chief spiritual leader] word study 2 and requested [asked for, desired] letters [epistles, written messages] to the synagogues [gatherings, assemblies] in Damascus [the city in Syria], so that if he found [discovered, met] any men [adult males] or women [females] belonging to the Way [the path of Jesus, the Christian faith], he could bring [lead, take] them as prisoners [bound, captive] to Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Palestine]. word study 3 As Saul drew near [approached, came close to] to Damascus [a city in Syria] on his journey [traveling, on his way], suddenly [unexpectedly, without warning] a light [divine illumination, radiant beam] from heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place] flashed [shone, blazed] around him [encompassing, surrounding]. word study 4 He fell [collapsing] to the ground and heard [perceived, listened to] a voice [sound, noise] say to him, “Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul], Saul, why [for what reason] do you persecute [pursue, follow with hostile intent] Me [the Messiah, the Lord]?” word study 5 “Who are You [which one, what kind], Lord [master, God]?” Saul asked. “I am [exist, have being] Jesus [the Messiah, Savior], whom you are [continually, persistently] persecuting [pursuing, harassing],” He replied. word study 6 “Now get up [arise, stand up from a position of rest] and go into [enter, proceed toward] the city [a town with walls, a community of people], and you will be told [it shall be spoken, revealed to] what you must [it is necessary, required] do [to make, to perform, to accomplish].” word study 7 The men traveling [traveling companions, journeying with] with Saul stood there [amazed, speechless] speechless [unable to speak, in awe]. They heard the voice [sound, noise] but did not see [perceive, behold] anyone [no one, nothing]. word study 8 Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul] got up from the ground [earth, soil], but when he opened [anew, as if for the first time] his eyes he could not see [perceive, behold] a thing [anything, none]. So they led [guided, conducted] him by the hand [as a blind person] into [toward, within] Damascus [the city in Syria]. word study 9 For [a period of] three [a specific number of] days he was without [lacking, unable to perceive] sight [physical or spiritual perception], and he did not [not at all] eat [partake of food, nourishment] or [nor] drink [consume liquids, refreshment] anything [any substance, nourishment]. word study 10 In Damascus [a city in Syria] there was a disciple [a learner, follower of Jesus] named Ananias [a faithful servant]. The Lord [God, the Master] spoke to him in a vision [a supernatural sight, a divine revelation], “Ananias [a called one]!” “Here I am, Lord [I am present, ready to obey],” he answered [responded with faith]. word study 11 “Get up [arise, stand up]!” the Lord [God, Master] told him. “Go [travel, journey] to the house [home, dwelling] of Judas [Judah] on Straight [level, direct] Street and ask [seek, inquire] for a man [person, individual] from Tarsus [a city in Asia Minor] named [called] Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul], for [because, since] he is praying [to pray, worship, communicate with God]. word study 12 In a vision [supernatural sight, divine revelation] he has seen a man [adult male, person] named Ananias [a disciple, a follower of Jesus] come [enter, arrive] and place [lay, put] his hands [as a symbol of power, healing] on him to restore [recover, regain] his sight [ability to see, spiritual perception].” word study 13 But Ananias answered [replied, responded], “Lord [Master, God, the supreme authority], many people [a large number, numerous individuals] have told me about this man [Saul, the persecutor] and all the harm [evil, wrongdoing, suffering] he has done [caused, inflicted] to Your saints [holy ones, set apart believers] in Jerusalem [the city of God, the capital of Israel]. word study 14 And now he is here [in this place, present] with authority [power, freedom to act] from the chief priests [high-priestly leaders, Jewish authorities] to arrest [bind, take into custody] all [every single one, without exception] who call on [invoke, appeal to] Your name [character, reputation, divine identity].” word study 15 “Go [without fear, as the Lord commands]!” said the Lord [the supreme authority]. “This man [Saul, the chosen one] is My [personal, intimate] chosen instrument [vessel, tool] to carry [bear, proclaim] My name [reputation, character] before [in the presence of] the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations] and their kings [rulers, authorities], and before [in the presence of] the people [children, sons] of Israel [God’s chosen nation]. word study 16 I [we, the speaker] will show him [make clear to him, teach him] how much [just as, to what extent] he must [it is necessary, has to] suffer [experience pain, endure hardship] for My [my own, belonging to me] name [character, authority, reputation] [for My sake, on My account].” word study 17 So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands [in a gesture of blessing and impartation] on Saul. “Brother [fellow believer, dear friend] Saul,” he said, “the Lord [the supreme authority] Jesus, who appeared [revealed Himself, became visible] to you on the road [the path, the journey] as you were coming here, has sent [dispatched, commissioned] me so that you may see [perceive, regain your sight] again and be filled [completely controlled, empowered] with the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the divine breath].” word study 18 At that instant [immediately, without delay], something like [as it were, similar to] scales [flakes, like fish scales] fell from Saul’s eyes [his vision, his sight], and his sight [vision, ability to see] was restored [given back, made whole]. He got up [arose, stood up] and was baptized [immersed, submerged in water], word study 19 and after taking [receiving, being nourished by] some food [nourishment, sustenance], he regained [was strengthened, became robust] his strength [vitality, energy]. And he spent [was with, remained] several [certain, a few] days [a period of time, a season] with [among, in the company of] the disciples [learners, followers of Jesus] in [at, within the city of] Damascus [a city in Syria, a place of spiritual transformation]. word study 20 Saul promptly [immediately, without delay] began to proclaim [preach, herald] Jesus [the Christ, the Messiah] in the synagogues [gatherings, assemblies], declaring [preaching, announcing], “He [this one, the Son] is [exists as, is revealed to be] the Son [child, offspring] of God [the Almighty, the divine Father].” word study 21 All [every single one] who heard him were astounded [amazed, utterly shocked] and asked, “Isn’t this [the very same] the man who wreaked havoc [laid waste, destroyed] in Jerusalem [the holy city] on those who call [invoke, appeal to] on this name [the name of Jesus, the divine authority]? And hasn’t he come here [to this place, with this intention] to take them as prisoners [to bind, to seize] to the chief priests [the high-priestly leaders, the spiritual authorities]?” word study 22 But Saul [increased in strength, grew more confident] was empowered [strengthened, made more able] all the more [rather, to a greater degree], and he confounded [confused, stirred up] the Jews [people from Judah, those of Jewish descent] living [dwelling, residing] in Damascus [a city in Syria] by proving [showing, demonstrating] that Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] is [exists, is present] the Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]. word study 23 After [when, as] many days [a period of time, 24-hour periods] had passed [were fulfilled, completed], the Jews [people from Judah, Jewish descendants] conspired [took counsel, plotted] to kill [destroy, take the life of] him [Saul, the apostle], word study 24 but Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul] learned of their plot [secret plan against him]. Day [a 24-hour period] and night [the time of darkness] they watched [observed closely] the city gates [entrances to the city] in order to kill [destroy] him [Saul, the object of their plan]. word study 25 One night [in the darkness, under the cover of], however, his disciples [followers, learners] took [received, accepted] him and lowered [let down, brought down] him in a basket [a flexible container, a woven vessel] through [by means of, because of] a window [an opening, an aperture] in the wall [a barrier, a surrounding structure]. word study 26 When Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul] arrived [came to, entered] in Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, a holy city], he tried [assayed, made an attempt] to join [unite with, connect to] the disciples [learners, followers of Jesus], but they were all [every single one] afraid [in awe, fearful] of him, not [absolutely not] believing [trusting, having faith] that he was a disciple [a follower, a learner]. word study 27 Then Barnabas [the son of prophecy] brought him to the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] and described how Saul had seen the Lord [the supreme Master, God], who spoke to him on the road [the path, the journey] to Damascus [a city in Syria], and how Saul had spoken boldly [with confidence, without fear] in that city in the name [the authority, the character] of Jesus [God is salvation]. word study 28 So Saul stayed [lived among, was a companion to] with them, moving about [going in and out, coming and going] freely [without fear, confidently] in Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Palestine] and speaking [preaching, proclaiming] boldly [with confidence, openly] in the name [authority, character] of the Lord [God, the supreme ruler, Jesus]. word study 29 He [speaking boldly, preaching] talked and [disputed, debated] debated with the [Greek-speaking, Hellenist] Grecian Jews, but they [attempting, seeking] tried to kill [slay] him. word study 30 When the brothers [believers, fellow Christians] learned of this, they took him down [brought him, led him] to Caesarea [a city in Palestine] and sent him off [away, forth] to Tarsus [his hometown, in Asia Minor]. word study 31 Then the church [assembly, community of believers] throughout Judea [a region in southern Palestine], Galilee [a region in northern Palestine], and Samaria [a city and region in central Palestine] experienced a time of [spiritual, inner] peace [harmony, tranquility]. It grew in strength [spiritual power, maturity] and numbers [multitude, increase], living in the fear [reverence, awe] of the Lord [God, the Supreme Ruler] and the encouragement [comfort, solace] of the Holy [set apart, divine] Spirit [the vital principle, the breath of God] [being multiplied, increasing rapidly]. word study 32 As Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] traveled throughout the area [all parts, every region], he went to visit [came down to, minister to] the saints [holy ones, set apart] in Lydda [a city in ancient Palestine, an important location]. word study 33 There [in that place, at that location] he found [encountered, met] a man [a human being, an individual] named Aeneas [a certain man, a specific person], who had been [for a long time, previously] paralyzed [weak, crippled, palsied] and bedridden [confined to his bed, laid upon a couch] for eight [a period of eight] years [a cycle of time, a period of 365 days]. word study 34 “Aeneas,” Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] said to him, “Jesus Christ [the Messiah, the Anointed One] heals [makes whole, restores to health] you! Get up [arise, stand up from your bed] and put away [make your bed, tidy up] your mat.” Immediately [at once, without delay] Aeneas got up, word study 35 and all [every single one, the entire population] who lived [dwelt, resided] in Lydda [a city in ancient Palestine] and Sharon [a region of fertile land] saw [perceived, beheld] him and turned [reverted, converted] to the Lord [the supreme Master, God]. word study 36 In Joppa [a city in Palestine] there was a disciple [a female follower, learner] named Tabitha [which means gazelle, a symbol of gentleness] (which is translated as [interpreted as] Dorcas [a name signifying kindness]), who was always occupied [full of, devoted to] with works [acts, deeds] of kindness [good, benevolent] and charity [alms, generosity to the poor]. word study 37 At that time [in those days, during this period], however, she became [fell] sick [weak, feeble] and died [passed away, came to her end], and her body [physical form, mortal frame] was washed [bathed, cleansed] and placed [laid, set] in an upper room [upper chamber, private space]. word study 38 Since Lydda [was near, in close proximity to] was near Joppa, the disciples [learners, followers of Jesus] heard [received and understood] that Peter [the rock, a prominent apostle] was there and sent [dispatched, commissioned] two men to urge [plead with, comfort] him, “Come to us without [without hesitation, immediately] delay [do not delay, be prompt].” word study 39 So Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] got up and went with them. On his arrival [when he came, after he had come], they took him to the upper room [the upstairs chamber, a private space]. All [every one of] the widows [women who had lost their husbands] stood around him, weeping [crying out loud, mourning] and showing him the tunics [shirts worn next to the skin] and other clothing [garments, outer wear] that Dorcas [a kind and generous Christian woman, also known as Tabitha] had made [created, produced] while she was still with them [in their presence, among them]. word study 40 Then Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] sent them all [every single one] out of the room [outside, away from the body]. He knelt down [on his knees, in a posture of prayer] and prayed [to God, with reverence], and turning toward her body [the lifeless corpse], he said, “Tabitha [a Christian woman, also known as Dorcas], get up [arise, stand up, come back to life]!” She opened her eyes [her vision was restored], and seeing Peter [the apostle, a servant of God], she sat up [she was restored to a position of life and vitality]. word study 41 Peter took her by the hand [gave her his hand, lifted her up] and helped her up [raised her, stood her up]. Then he called [summoned, invited] the saints [holy ones, set apart] and widows [women who have lost their husbands] and presented her to them alive [restored her to life, living]. word study 42 This [was made known, it was known] became known all over [throughout, throughout all] Joppa [a city in Palestine], and many [a large number, a great amount] people believed [to trust, have faith] in the Lord [the supreme authority, God]. word study 43 And Peter stayed [remained, abode] for several [many, a long time] days [a 24-hour period, a period of time] in Joppa [a city in Palestine] with a tanner [one who works with animal hides, a leather-worker] named Simon [a Greek name, a common Israelite name]. word study