THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Acts ~ Chapter 9
Meanwhile Saul, still threatening to kill the
disciples of Adonai, went to the high priest. He requested from him letters to
the synagogues in Damascus, stating that if he found any followers of
Ha’Mashiach’s Way – men or women – he might arrest them and bring them back to
Jerusalem in chains. He journeyed on until he came near to Damascus.
SAUL LEAVES FOR DAMASCUS
Suddenly, a light from Heaven shone around
him. He fell down to the ground and then heard a voice speaking to him, “Saul,
Saul, why do you persecute Me?” ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. “I am Yeshua.
Whom you are persecuting”, Adonai answered. “It is dangerous for you to resist
and rebel”. Trembling, and astonished, Saul asked, ‘Adonai, what do You want me
to do?’ Adonai said to him, “Rise up and go in to the city and you will be told
what to do.”
SAUL'S CONVERSION
His companions stood speechless, for they
heard the voice but saw no one. Saul then got up from the ground, but on opening
his eyes could not see anything. So, leading him by the hand, they brought him
into Damascus. Then for 3 days he was without sight, and he abstained from food
and drink.
There was in Damascus a disciple by the name
of Ananias. Adonai appeared to him in a vision and said, “Ananias.” ‘Yes,
Lord,’ he replied, ‘I am here.’ Adonai then said, “Rise up and go over to
Straight Street to the house of Judas and ask for a man of Tarsus – Saul by
name. You will find him in prayer. He had a vision in which he saw a man named
Ananias come to him and put his hand on him so that he might see once more.”
But Ananias answered, ‘But, Adonai, many have told me about this man, how many
hardships he has brought upon our saints in Jerusalem. And besides, he came
here with authority from the chief priests to put in chains everyone who calls
on Your Name.’ “Nevertheless,” Adonai said to him, “Go, because this man in My
chosen vessel to carry My Name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of
Israel. Yes, he will have to suffer much for My Name’s sake, and that I shall
make clear to him.”
Accordingly, Ananias went to that house and,
placing his hands on Saul, said, ‘Brother, Adonai Yeshua, Who appeared to you
on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may have your
sight restored and be filled with The Ruach.’ And at once something like scales
fell from his eyes, and he recovered his eyesight instantly. Then he got up and
was baptized. After that, he ate some food and recovered his strength. And for
some days Saul stayed in Damascus with the disciples.
ANANIAS GOES TO SAUL
Saul began at once to preach in the
synagogues that Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is Ben Elohim (Christ is the Son of God).
And all who heard him were therefore astounded, and said, ‘Is this not the man
who in Jerusalem brought death and destruction on those who called on His Name?
And has he not come here for the very purpose of arresting such persons and to
bring them to the chief priests?’ But Saul preached with ever increasing power
and, by his proofs that Yeshua was Mashiach, he bewildered the Jews who lived
in Damascus. Quite a number of days came and went before the Jews formed a
conspiracy to put Saul to death, but he got wind of their plot. They even stood
watch at the city gates day and night, bent on killing him. The disciples,
therefore, helped him escape by night, letting him down over the wall in a
basket.
SAUL PREACHES IN DAMASCUS SYNAGOGUES
SAUL ESCAPES IN A BASKET
When Saul came back to Jerusalem he tried to
associate with the disciples there, but they were all afraid of him, not
believing that he was a disciple. Then Barnabas took charge of him. He brought
him along to the Apostles, told them how Saul had seen Adonai Yeshua on the
way, how Adonai had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly in Damascus
in the Name of Yeshua. After that, he could go in and out freely among them in
Jerusalem, and he preached fearlessly in the Name of Yeshua. He spoke also to
the Greek-speaking Jews (Hellenists) and argued with them, but they made plans
to have him out to death. When the brethren learned of this, they brought Saul
down to Caesarea and sent him on to Tarsus. Then the congregation throughout
Judea, Galilee and Samaria really enjoyed peace for a time. They were being
built up. They walked in the fear of Adonai and in the consolation of The
Ruach. They increased in numbers.
SAUL SENT TO TARSUS
When Simon Peter was making a visitation trip
to all parts of the field, he came to the disciples living at Lydda. There he
found a man named Aeneas who had been kept to his bed for 8 years, being
paralyzed. Simon Peter said to him, ‘”Aeneas, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is going to
heal you. Get up and make your bed! He got up at once. And all the inhabitants
of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to Yeshua.
PETER HEALS AENEAS
In Joppa there lived a disciple named
Tabitha, which in Greek is translated Dorcas, meaning gazelle. She was always
busy doing good, and helping the poor. Then one day she took sick and died.
After they had washed her body, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was
near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Simon Peter was at Lydda, they
sent 2 messengers to him, begging him not to delay but to come at once. Simon
Peter got ready and went with them. When they got there, they brought him to
the upper room where all the widows were standing around, crying and displaying
the dresses and coats Dorcas had made while she was with them. Simon Peter made
them all leave the room, after which he kneeled down and prayed. Next, he
turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, arise!” And she opened her eyes. Then,
seeing Simon Peter, she sat up. He took her hands and lifted her up, and then,
having called in the saints and the widows, he presented her to them alive.
News of this went throughout all of Joppa and many came to believe in Adonai
Yeshua. After this, Simon Peter stayed on in Joppa for quite a while at the
home of one Simon, a tanner.
