"Saul's Conversion"
Now Saul, still breathing threats
and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
and asked for
letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any
belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to
Jerusalem.
And it came
about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a
light from heaven flashed around him;
and he fell to
the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?"
And he said,
"Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
but rise, and
enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. "
And the men who
traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no
one.
And Saul got up
from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing;
and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.
And he was
three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a
certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said to him
in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Behold, here am I, Lord."
And the Lord
said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire
at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he
is praying,
and he has seen
in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so
that he might regain his sight. "
But Ananias
answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm
he did to Thy saints at Jerusalem;
and here he has
authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Thy name. "
But the Lord
said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My
name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
for I will show
him how much he must suffer for My name's sake. "
And Ananias
departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said,
"Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which
you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be
filled with the Holy Spirit."
And immediately
there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his
sight, and he arose and was baptized;
and he took
food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the
disciples who were at Damascus,
Saul became The Apostle Paul.