1 E Saulo, respirando ainda ameaças e mortes contra os discípulos do Senhor, foi ao sumo sacerdote,2 e pediu-lhe cartas para Damasco, para as sinagogas, para que quando ele encontrasse homens ou mulheres que eram do Caminho, ele pudesse trazê-los presos a Jerusalém.3 E, enquanto ele viajava, ao aproximar-se de Damasco, repentinamente brilhou uma luz do céu ao seu redor;4 e, ele caindo em terra, ouviu uma voz que lhe dizia: Saulo, Saulo, por que tu me persegues?5 E ele disse: Quem és tu, Senhor? E disse o Senhor: Eu sou Jesus, a quem tu persegues. Duro é para ti chutar contra os aguilhões.6 E ele, tremendo e atônito, disse: Senhor, o que queres que eu faça? E disse-lhe o Senhor: Levanta-te, e entra na cidade, e lá será dito o que tu deves fazer.7 E os homens, que viajavam com ele, pararam atônitos, ouvindo a voz, mas não vendo nenhum homem.8 E Saulo levantou-se da terra e, abrindo os olhos, não via nenhum homem. Mas guiaram-no pela mão, e o levaram para Damasco.9 E ele ficou três dias sem visão, e não comeu nem bebeu.10 E havia um certo discípulo em Damasco chamado Ananias. E o Senhor disse-lhe em uma visão: Ananias. E ele disse: Eu estou aqui, Senhor.11 E o Senhor disse-lhe: Levanta-te, e vai à rua chamada Direita, e pergunta na casa de Judas por alguém chamado Saulo, de Tarso; porque eis que ele está orando,12 e em uma visão ele viu que um homem chamado Ananias entrava e impunha a sua mão sobre ele, para que ele pudesse receber a sua visão.13 Então, respondeu Ananias: Senhor, eu tenho ouvido de muitos acerca deste homem, quantos males ele tem feito aos teus santos em Jerusalém;14 e aqui ele tem autoridade dos principais dos sacerdotes para prender a todos os que invocam o teu nome.15 Mas o Senhor disse a ele: Ide pelo caminho, porque ele é um vaso escolhido por mim, para levar o meu nome diante dos gentios, e dos reis, e dos filhos de Israel;16 porque eu lhe mostrarei quão grandes coisas ele deve sofrer por causa do meu nome.17 E Ananias foi pelo caminho e entrou na casa, e impondo as suas mãos sobre ele, disse: Irmão Saulo, o Senhor Jesus, que te apareceu no caminho por onde vinhas, me enviou, para que recebas tua visão e sejas cheio do Espírito Santo.18 E imediatamente lhe caíram dos olhos como se fossem escamas, e ele imediatamente recebeu a visão; e levantando-se, foi batizado.19 E, tendo recebido alimento, ele foi fortalecido. E esteve Saulo alguns dias com os discípulos que estavam em Damasco.20 E imediatamente ele pregava nas sinagogas que Cristo é o Filho de Deus.21 Mas todos os que o ouviam estavam atônitos, e diziam: Não é este o que em Jerusalém destruía os que invocavam este nome e com este intento veio aqui, para os levar presos aos principais dos sacerdotes?22 Saulo, porém, se fortalecia muito mais, e confundia os judeus que habitavam em Damasco, provando que aquele era mesmo o Cristo.23 E, tendo passado muitos dias, os judeus tomaram conselho para matá-lo;24 mas Saulo tomou conhecimento do complô; e eles vigiavam os portões de dia e de noite, para o matarem.25 Então, os discípulos tomaram-no de noite, e desceram-no pelo muro, dentro de um cesto.26 E quando Saulo chegou a Jerusalém, procurava ajuntar-se aos discípulos, mas todos o temiam, não acreditando que ele fosse um discípulo.27 Mas Barnabé, tomando-o, o trouxe aos apóstolos, e lhes declarou como ele vira ao Senhor no caminho, e este lhe falara, e como em Damasco falara ousadamente em o nome de Jesus.28 E estava com eles, entrando e saindo de Jerusalém.29 E falava ousadamente em nome do Senhor Jesus, e disputava contra os gregos, mas eles procuravam matá-lo.30 Quando souberam os irmãos, desceram-no a Cesareia, e o enviaram para Tarso.31 Então as igrejas em toda a Judeia, e Galileia, e Samaria tinham descanso e eram edificadas; e andando no temor do Senhor e na consolação do Espírito Santo, se multiplicavam.32 E aconteceu que, passando Pedro por toda parte, ele desceu também aos santos que habitavam em Lida.33 E ali ele encontrou um certo homem chamado Eneias, o qual era mantido oito anos em sua cama, e estava doente de paralisia.34 E Pedro lhe disse: Eneias, Jesus Cristo te cura; levanta-te e faze a tua cama. E imediatamente ele se levantou.35 E todos os que habitavam em Lida e Sarona viram-no, e se converteram ao Senhor.36 Ora, havia em Jope uma discípula chamada Tabita, que significa Dorcas. Esta mulher estava cheia de boas obras e esmolas que fazia.37 E aconteceu naqueles dias, que ela ficou enferma e morreu: e, tendo-a lavado, a colocaram em um quarto alto.38 E, como Lida era perto de Jope, os discípulos ouvindo que Pedro estava ali, enviaram-lhe dois homens, pedindo que ele não demorasse em vir ter com eles.39 E, levantando-se Pedro, foi com eles. Quando ele chegou, o levaram ao quarto alto, e todas as viúvas estavam de pé, chorando e mostrando as túnicas e vestes que Dorcas fizera quando estava com elas.40 Mas Pedro, colocando todas para fora, ajoelhou-se e orou; e, voltando-se para o corpo, disse: Tabita, levanta-te. E ela abriu os seus olhos, e vendo a Pedro, assentou-se.41 E ele, dando-lhe sua mão, a levantou e, chamando os santos e as viúvas, a apresentou viva.42 E isto foi conhecido por toda a Jope, e muitos creram no Senhor.43 E aconteceu que ele permaneceu muitos dias em Jope, com um certo Simão, curtidor.

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder toward the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.3 But as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from Heaven.4 And he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?5 And he said, Who are You, Sir? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do You have in mind for me to do? Then the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a sound but seeing no one.8 Then Saul was lifted up from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, here I am, Lord.11 So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he prays.12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind everyone who calls on Your name.15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name.17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was immersed.19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.20 And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to do away with him.24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a basket.26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to be joined to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed with the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.30 When the brethren found out, they led him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went everywhere, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed.34 And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed. Then he arose immediately.35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.37 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.38 And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, begging him not to delay in coming to them.39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.43 So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.