Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Neither did I go up to Jerusalem, to them that were apostles before me, but I immediately went into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

In Damascus the governor under king Aretas, kept the city of the Damascenes with a guard, being determined to apprehend me.

from whom also I received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. But as I journeyed and drew near to Damascus, about noon suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? read more.
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me, saw the light, and were terrified; but they did not hear the voice of him that spake to me, And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed thee to do. And as I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by them that were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, Coming to me, stood and said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, to know his will, and see that Just one, and hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness to all men, of what thou hast seen and heard. And now, why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Whereupon as I was going to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests, At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round me and them that journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen down to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads. read more.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to ordain thee a minister and a witness, both of the things which thou hast seen, and of those in which I will appear to thee, Delivering thee from the people, and the Gentiles, to whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive through faith which is in me, forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified. From that time, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, But first to them at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea, and then to the Gentiles I declare, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.


Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?


And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, in that he accounted me faithful, having put me into the ministry, Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and a reviler; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

For ye have heard of my behaviour in time past in the Jewish religion, that above measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.

And as he journeyed, he drew near Damascus; and suddenly there shone about him a light from heaven. And falling to the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee, to kick against the goads. read more.
And he trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men that journeyed with him stood astonished, hearing a noise, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and his eyes being opened, he saw no man; but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold I am here, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Arise, go into the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas, for one named Saul of Tarsus; for behold, he is praying. And he hath seen in a vision a man, named Ananias, coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he may recover his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. And here also he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go: for he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before nations and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me, Jesus who appeared to thee in the way thou camest, that thou mayst recover thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately as it were scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight, and arose and was baptized. And having received food, he was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples in Damascus: And straightway he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard were amazed, and said, Is not this he who destroyed those that call on this name at Jerusalem? And came hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women: As likewise the high priest is my witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. But as I journeyed and drew near to Damascus, about noon suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. read more.
And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me, saw the light, and were terrified; but they did not hear the voice of him that spake to me, And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed thee to do. And as I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by them that were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, Coming to me, stood and said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, to know his will, and see that Just one, and hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness to all men, of what thou hast seen and heard. And now, why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And when I was returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, I was in a trance, And saw him saying to me, Make haste and depart quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned, and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee.

I indeed thought myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth: Which also I did in Jerusalem: and having received authority from the chief priests, I shut up many of the saints in prisons, and when they were killed, I gave my vote against them. And frequently punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. read more.
Whereupon as I was going to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests, At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round me and them that journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen down to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the goads. And I said, Who art thou, Lord?


Then the tribune came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired, Who he was, and what he had done? But some among the multitude cried out one thing, some another; and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. But when he came upon the stairs, he was borne of the soldiers, through the violence of the people. read more.
For the multitude of people followed after, crying, Away with him. And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art not thou that Egyptian, who before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out four thousand murtherers into the wilderness? But Paul said, I am a man who am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and I beseech thee, suffer me to speak to the people. And when he had given him leave, Paul standing on the stairs, waved his hand to the people: and a great silence being made, he spake to them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye now my defence unto you. (And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence: and he saith) I am verily a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and accurately instructed in the law of our fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. read more.
And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women: As likewise the high priest is my witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. But as I journeyed and drew near to Damascus, about noon suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me, saw the light, and were terrified; but they did not hear the voice of him that spake to me, And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed thee to do. And as I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand by them that were with me, I came into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, Coming to me, stood and said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, to know his will, and see that Just one, and hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness to all men, of what thou hast seen and heard. And now, why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And when I was returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, I was in a trance, And saw him saying to me, Make haste and depart quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned, and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting to his death, and kept the garments of them that slew him. But he said to me, Depart: for I will send thee far off to the Gentiles.