1 Entretanto, Saulo, ameaçador e desejoso de destruir todos os discípulos do Senhor, dirigiu-se ao supremo sacerdote, em Jerusalém, pedindo-lhe que lhe fosse passada uma carta credencial dirigida às sinagogas de Damasco, exigindo a cooperação destas na perseguição de quaisquer seguidores do Caminho que Saulo aí encontrasse, tanto homens como mulheres, para que pudesse levá-los acorrentados para Jerusalém.
3 Ao aproximar-se de Damasco no cumprimento desta missão, uma luz brilhante vinda do céu fixou-se, de súbito, sobre ele. Caindo no chão, ouviu uma voz que lhe dizia: Saulo, Saulo, por que me persegues?
5 Quem és tu, Senhor?, perguntou.Sou Jesus, aquele a quem tu persegues! Levanta-te, vai para a cidade e espera por instruções minhas.
7 Os homens que acompanhavam Saulo ficaram mudos de surpresa, pois ouviam uma voz mas não viam ninguém
8 Quando Saulo se levantou, verificou que deixara de ver. Tiveram de o levar pela mão até Damasco, onde ficou três dias sem comer nem beber.
10 Ora, havia em Damasco um discípulo chamado Ananias, a quem o Senhor falou numa visão, chamando-o: Ananias!Aqui estou, Senhor!, respondeu.
11 O Senhor disse: Vai à rua Direita, procura em casa de Judas um homem chamado Saulo de Tarso. Neste momento está ele a orar, pois mostrei-lhe em visão alguém chamado Ananias que deverá procurá-lo e que porá as mãos sobre ele para que torne a ver!
13 Mas, Senhor, exclamou Ananias, contaram-me coisas terríveis que este homem fez aos crentes de Jerusalém! E consta que tem mandatos de prisão, passados pelos principais dos sacerdotes, autorizando-o a prender, em Damasco, todos os que invocam o teu nome!
15 O Senhor insistiu: Vai, pois Saulo é o meu instrumento escolhido para levar a minha mensagem às nações e até à presença dos reis, bem como ao povo de Israel. E mostrar-lhe-ei quanto ele deverá sofrer por mim.
17 Ananias obedeceu. Na presença de Saulo, pôs as mãos sobre ele e disse-lhe: Irmão Saulo, o Senhor Jesus, que te apareceu no caminho, enviou-me para que sejas cheio do Espírito Santo e tornes a ver.
18 Imediatamente, caindo-lhe como que umas escamas dos olhos, Saulo recuperou a vista, e, levantando-se, foi baptizado.
19 Saulo ficou com os crentes de Damasco durante alguns dias,
20 indo logo à sinagoga anunciar as boas novas a respeito de Jesus, afirmando que ele era na verdade o Filho de Deus!
21 E todos quantos o escutavam ficavam pasmados: Não é este o homem que perseguia os seguidores de Jesus em Jerusalém? E consta que veio cá para os prender e levá-los acorrentados aos principais dos sacerdotes!
22 As pregações de Saulo eram cada vez mais fervorosas, e os judeus de Damasco não conseguiam refutar às provas que ele apresentava de como Jesus era o Cristo
23 Uns tempos depois, os judeus resolveram matá-lo.
24 Mas Saulo foi informado dos seus planos e de que vigiavam as portas da cidade dia e noite prontos a tirar-lhe a vida.
25 Assim, durante a noite, alguns dos que se haviam convertido por seu intermédio passaram-no para fora, baixando-o numa cesta pela muralha da cidade.
26 Chegando a Jerusalém, tentou pôr-se em contacto com os crentes, mas todos tinham medo dele, pensando que fosse um impostor. Barnabé conduziu-o junto dos apóstolos e contou-lhes como Saulo vira o Senhor na estrada de Damasco e o que o Senhor lhe dissera, mencionando também as suas poderosas pregações em nome de Jesus, em Damasco.
28 Aceitaram-no então, e a partir daí Saulo andava sempre com os crentes, pregando com coragem em nome do Senhor. Mas alguns judeus de língua grega, com os quais ele discutira, combinaram assassiná-lo. Quando os outros crentes souberam do perigo que corria, levaram-no para Cesareia, enviando-o depois para a sua terra em Tarso.
31 Entretanto, a igreja vivia em paz em toda a Judeia, Galileia e Samaria, crescendo com força e em número. Os crentes aprendiam a caminhar no temor do Senhor e na força do Espírito Santo.
32 Pedro viajava de terra em terra, e foi ver os crentes da cidade de Lida.
33 Aí encontrou um homem chamado Eneias, paralisado e incapaz de sair do leito havia oito anos. Pedro disse-lhe: Eneias, Jesus Cristo dá-te saúde. Levanta-te e faz a tua cama! O homem ficou logo bom, e toda a população de Lida e Sarona voltou-se para o Senhor ao ver Eneias a andar normalmente.
36 Havia na cidade de Jope uma mulher discípula chamada Tabita , uma crente que estava sempre a fazer bem aos outros, especialmente aos pobres. Por esta altura, Tabita adoeceu e morreu. As pessoas suas amigas prepararam-na para o funeral e puseram-na num quarto superior. Ao saberem que Pedro se encontrava ali perto em Lida, mandaram dois homens pedir-lhe que fosse com eles a Jope.
39 Pedro assim fez, e logo que chegou levaram-no ao quarto onde Tabita se encontrava. O compartimento estava cheio de viúvas que choravam e mostravam as túnicas e outra roupa que Tabita lhes fizera.
40 Mas Pedro, pedindo a todos que saíssem do quarto, ajoelhou-se, orou e voltando-se para o corpo disse: Levanta-te, Tabita!, e ela abriu os olhos. Quando viu Pedro, sentou-se.
41 Pedro estendeu-lhe a mão, ajudou-a a pôr-se de pé e, chamando os crentes e as viúvas, apresentou-lhes a ressuscitada.
42 A notícia espalhou-se rapidamente pela cidade, e foram muitos os que creram no Senhor.
43 Pedro ficou ainda durante muito tempo em Jope, vivendo com Simão o curtidor.
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.