1 Enquanto isso, Saulo ainda respirava ameaças de morte contra os discípulos do Senhor. Dirigindo-se ao sumo sacerdote,

2 pediu-lhe cartas para as sinagogas de Damasco, de maneira que, caso encontrasse ali homens ou mulheres que pertencessem ao Caminho, pudesse levá-los presos para Jerusalém.

3 Em sua viagem, quando se aproximava de Damasco, de repente brilhou ao seu redor uma luz vinda do céu.

4 Ele caiu por terra e ouviu uma voz que lhe dizia: "Saulo, Saulo, por que você me persegue? "

5 Saulo perguntou: "Quem és tu, Senhor? " Ele respondeu: "Eu sou Jesus, a quem você persegue.

6 Levante-se, entre na cidade; alguém lhe dirá o que você deve fazer".

7 Os homens que viajavam com Saulo pararam emudecidos; ouviam a voz mas não viam ninguém.

8 Saulo levantou-se do chão e, abrindo os olhos, não conseguia ver nada. E eles o levaram pela mão até Damasco.

9 Por três dias ele esteve cego, não comeu nem bebeu.

10 Em Damasco havia um discípulo chamado Ananias. O Senhor o chamou numa visão: "Ananias! " "Eis-me aqui, Senhor", respondeu ele.

11 O Senhor lhe disse: "Vá à casa de Judas, na rua chamada Direita, e pergunte por um homem de Tarso chamado Saulo. Ele está orando;

12 numa visão viu um homem chamado Ananias chegar e impor-lhe as mãos para que voltasse a ver".

13 Respondeu Ananias: "Senhor, tenho ouvido muita coisa a respeito desse homem e de todo o mal que ele tem feito aos teus santos em Jerusalém.

14 Ele chegou aqui com autorização dos chefes dos sacerdotes para prender todos os que invocam o teu nome".

15 Mas o Senhor disse a Ananias: "Vá! Este homem é meu instrumento escolhido para levar o meu nome perante os gentios e seus reis, e perante o povo de Israel.

16 Mostrarei a ele o quanto deve sofrer pelo meu nome".

17 Então Ananias foi, entrou na casa, impôs as mãos sobre Saulo e disse: "Irmão Saulo, o Senhor Jesus, que lhe apareceu no caminho por onde você vinha, enviou-me para que você volte a ver e seja cheio do Espírito Santo".

18 Imediatamente, algo como escamas caiu dos olhos de Saulo e ele passou a ver novamente. Levantando-se, foi batizado

19 e, depois de comer, recuperou as forças. Saulo passou vários dias com os discípulos em Damasco.

20 Logo começou a pregar nas sinagogas que Jesus é o Filho de Deus.

21 Todos os que o ouviam ficavam perplexos e perguntavam: "Não é ele o homem que procurava destruir em Jerusalém aqueles que invocam este nome? E não veio para cá justamente para levá-los presos aos chefes dos sacerdotes? "

22 Todavia, Saulo se fortalecia cada vez mais e confundia os judeus que viviam em Damasco, demonstrando que Jesus é o Cristo.

23 Decorridos muitos dias, os judeus decidiram de comum acordo matá-lo,

24 mas Saulo ficou sabendo do plano deles. Dia e noite eles vigiavam as portas da cidade a fim de matá-lo.

25 Mas os seus discípulos o levaram de noite e o fizeram descer num cesto, através de uma abertura na muralha.

26 Quando chegou a Jerusalém, tentou reunir-se aos discípulos, mas todos estavam com medo dele, não acreditando que fosse realmente um discípulo.

27 Então Barnabé o levou aos apóstolos e lhes contou como, no caminho, Saulo vira o Senhor, que lhe falara, e como em Damasco ele havia pregado corajosamente em nome de Jesus.

28 Assim, Saulo ficou com eles, e andava com liberdade em Jerusalém, pregando corajosamente em nome do Senhor.

29 Falava e discutia com os judeus de fala grega, mas estes tentavam matá-lo.

30 Sabendo disso, os irmãos o levaram para Cesaréia e o enviaram para Tarso.

31 A igreja passava por um período de paz em toda a Judéia, Galiléia e Samaria. Ela se edificava e, encorajada pelo Espírito Santo, crescia em número, vivendo no temor do Senhor.

32 Viajando por toda parte, Pedro foi visitar os santos que viviam em Lida.

33 Ali encontrou um paralítico chamado Enéias, que estava acamado fazia oito anos.

34 Disse-lhe Pedro: "Enéias, Jesus Cristo vai curá-lo! Levante-se e arrume a sua cama". Ele se levantou imediatamente.

35 Todos os que viviam em Lida e Sarona o viram e se converteram ao Senhor.

36 Em Jope havia uma discípula chamada Tabita, que em grego é Dorcas, que se dedicava a praticar boas obras e dar esmolas.

37 Naqueles dias ela ficou doente e morreu, e seu corpo foi lavado e colocado num quarto do andar superior.

38 Lida ficava perto de Jope, e quando os discípulos ouviram falar que Pedro estava em Lida, mandaram-lhe dois homens dizer-lhe: "Não se demore em vir até nós".

39 Pedro foi com eles e, quando chegou, foi levado para o quarto do andar superior. Todas as viúvas o rodearam, chorando e mostrando-lhe os vestidos e outras roupas que Dorcas tinha feito quando ainda estava com elas.

40 Pedro mandou que todos saíssem do quarto; depois, ajoelhou-se e orou. Voltando-se para a mulher morta, disse: "Tabita, levante-se". Ela abriu os olhos e, vendo Pedro, sentou-se.

41 Tomando-a pela mão, ajudou-a a pôr-se de pé. Então, chamando os santos e as viúvas, apresentou-a viva.

42 Este fato se tornou conhecido em toda a cidade de Jope, e muitos creram no Senhor.

43 Pedro ficou em Jope durante algum tempo, com um curtidor de couro chamado Simão.

1 But, Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, going unto the High-priest,

2 asked from him letters for Damascus, unto the synagogues; to the end that, if he should find, any, who were of The Way, whether men or women, he might bring them, bound, unto Jerusalem.

3 But, as he was journeying, it came to pass that he was drawing near unto Damascus, and, suddenly, there flashed around him a light out of heaven;

4 And, falling unto the earth, he heard a voice saying unto himSaul! Saul! why, me, art thou persecuting?

5 And he saidWho art thou, Lord? And, he, I, am Jesus, whom, thou, art persecuting!

6 But rise up, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7 But, the men who were accompanying him, stood speechless,hearing, indeed, the voice, but beholding no one.

8 And Saul arose from the earth, and, his eyes being opened, he could see nothing; and, taking him by the hand, they led him into Damascus,

9 And he was three days without seeing, and did neither eat nor drink.

10 Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus, by name Ananias; and, the Lord, said unto him in a visionAnanias! And, he, saidLo! I, , Lord!

11 And the Lord unto himRise! go into the street which is called Straight, and seek, in the house of Judas, one Saul, by name, of Tarsus. For lo! he is praying,

12 And hath seen a man in a vision , Ananias by name, coming in and laying on him his hands, to the intent he should see.

13 And Ananias, answeredLord! I have heard from many concerning this man, how many evil things unto thy saints he hath done in Jerusalem;

14 And, here, he hath authority from the High-priests to bind all them that call upon thy name.

15 But the Lord said unto himBe going thy way; for, a choice vessel unto me, is this man, to bear my name before both the nations and kings, and the sons of Israel;

16 For, I, will let him understand how many things he must needs, for my name, suffer.

17 And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and, laying upon him his hands, saidSaul, brother! The Lord, hath sent me,Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way by which thou wast coming,that thou mayest recover sight, and be filled with Holy Spirit.

18 And, straightway, there fell from himfrom his eyes,as it were scales; he recovered sight also, and, arising, was immersed:

19 And, receiving food, gained strength. And he came to be with the disciples who were in Damascus certain days;

20 And, straightway, in the synagogues, he began proclaiming Jesus, that, This, is the Son of God.

21 And all who were hearing were astonished, and began to sayis not, this, he who destroyed, in Jerusalem, them that invoke this name; and, here, for this purpose, had come, in order that he might lead them, bound, unto the High-priests?

22 But, Saul, was the more gaining power; and was confounding the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, shewing, by comparison, thatThis, is the Christ.

23 Now, when a considerable number of days were being fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him;

24 But their plot was made known unto Saul,and they were even narrowly watching the gates, both day and night, that they might kill him;

25 But the disciples, taking him by night, through the wall, let him down, lowering him in a basket.

26 And, when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he made attempts to join himself unto the disciples; and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

27 But, Barnabas, taking him, brought him unto the apostles, and related unto them,how, in the way, he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken unto him; and how, in Damascus, he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

28 And he was with them, coming in and going out in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord;

29 And was both speaking and discussing with the Grecian Jews,but, they, were setting to work to kill him.

30 And the brethren, discovering it, brought him down into Caesarea, and sent him away unto Tarsus.

31 So then, the assembly throughout the whole of Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, had peace, building itself up, and going on its way in the fear of the Lord; and, by the advocacy of the Holy Spirit, was being multiplied.

32 And it came to pass that, Peter, going through all went down unto the saints also dwelling in Lydda.

33 And he found there a certain man, by name Aeneas, who, for eight years, had been lying prostrate upon a bed, for he was paralysed.

34 And Peter said unto himAeneas! Jesus Christ healeth thee! Arise, and smooth thy bed for thyself. And, straightway, he arose.

35 And all who dwelt in Lydda and Saron, saw him,and, they, turned unto the Lord.

36 Now, in Joppa, there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, which, being translated, means Dorcas . The same, was full of good works and alms which she was doing.

37 And it came to pass in those days, that she, sickening, died; and, bathing her, they laid her in an upper room.

38 Now, Lydda being nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was therein, sent off two men unto him, beseeching himDo not delay to come through unto us!

39 And Peter, arising, went with them,whom, when he arrived, they brought up into the upper room; and there stood by him all the widows, weeping, and showing the tunics and mantleswhatsoever things Dorcas was making while she was with them.

40 But Peter, putting them all outside, knelt down and prayed; and, turning towards the body, saidTabitha, arise! And she, opening her eyes and seeing Peter, sat up.

41 And, giving her his hand, he raised her up; and, calling the saints and the widows, presented her, living.

42 And it became known throughout the whole of Joppa, and many believed upon the Lord.

43 And it came to pass that, for a considerable number of days, he abode in Joppa, with one Simon, a tanner.