Thematic Bible: His vision and conversion
Thematic Bible
Paul » His vision and conversion
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord-? Are you not my work in the Lord?
Last of all, he was seen by me also, as one untimely born.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me power, because he counted me faithful, and put me into the ministry; me, I say, who before was a reviler and a persecutor and an overbearing man. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief:
For you have heard of my former mode of life in Judaism, that I greatly persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste;
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus; and suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven. And when he had fallen to the earth, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? He answered: "Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you persecute. read more.
But rise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. The men who journeyed with him stood amazed; for they heard a voice, but saw no one. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one; but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. He answered: Behold me, Lord. And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is called Straight, and in quire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus: for behold, he is praying; and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias, coming in and laying his hand on him, that he may receive his sight. But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. But the Lord said to him: Go; for he is a vessel chosen by me to bear my name before nations and kings, and the sons of Israel. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name. And Ananias went, and entered the house, and laying his hands on him, said: Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he instantly received his sight; and he arose, and was immersed. And, having taken food, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days; and immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Sou of God. And all that heard him were astonished, and said: Is not this he who destroyed in Jerusalem those that call on this name, and who has come hither for this purpose, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confuted the Jews that dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
But rise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. The men who journeyed with him stood amazed; for they heard a voice, but saw no one. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one; but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias. He answered: Behold me, Lord. And the Lord said to him: Arise, and go into the street that is called Straight, and in quire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus: for behold, he is praying; and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias, coming in and laying his hand on him, that he may receive his sight. But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. But the Lord said to him: Go; for he is a vessel chosen by me to bear my name before nations and kings, and the sons of Israel. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name. And Ananias went, and entered the house, and laying his hands on him, said: Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he instantly received his sight; and he arose, and was immersed. And, having taken food, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days; and immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Sou of God. And all that heard him were astonished, and said: Is not this he who destroyed in Jerusalem those that call on this name, and who has come hither for this purpose, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confuted the Jews that dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women, as the chief priest and the whole body of elders will testify for me. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring those, also, who were there, bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished. But it came to pass, that, as I was on my journey, and was drawing near to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly 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 do you persecute me? And I answered, Who art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you persecute. They who were with me saw the light, and were afraid, but did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there you shall be told of all things that are appointed for you to do. And as I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good report from all the Jews that dwelt there, came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth; for you shall be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And it came to pass, after I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance, and saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I threw into prison, and scourged, in every synagogue, those who believed on thee;
and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And I answered, Who art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you persecute. They who were with me saw the light, and were afraid, but did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there you shall be told of all things that are appointed for you to do. And as I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good report from all the Jews that dwelt there, came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth; for you shall be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. And it came to pass, after I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance, and saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I threw into prison, and scourged, in every synagogue, those who believed on thee;
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazarene. And this I did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests: and when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to speak impiously; and, being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. read more.
While I was engaged in these things, and was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, while I was on the road, I saw, King, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying, in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? He replied, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.
While I was engaged in these things, and was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, while I was on the road, I saw, King, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying, in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? He replied, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.