Acts 9

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

Acts 9

1Then Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priestὉ δὲ Σαῦλος ἔτι ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς καὶ φόνου εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ Κυρίου, προσελθὼν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ

2and requested from him letters of authority to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he should find any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them, having been bound, to Jerusalem.ᾐτήσατο παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὰς εἰς Δαμασκὸν πρὸς τὰς συναγωγάς, ὅπως ἐάν τινας εὕρῃ τῆς Ὁδοῦ ὄντας, ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας, δεδεμένους ἀγάγῃ εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ.

3And as he was going, it came about that he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ, καὶ ἐξαίφνης περιήστραψεν αὐτὸν φῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,

4And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσε φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ, Σαούλ, Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;

5And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.εἶπε δέ, Τίς εἶ, Κύριε; ὁ δὲ Κύριος εἶπεν, Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις·

6“But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be spoken to you what you must do.”ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ λαληθήσεταί σοι τί σε δεῖ ποιεῖν.

7And the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ συνοδεύοντες αὐτῷ εἱστήκεισαν ἐνεοί, ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς, μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες.

8And Saul got up from the ground, and although his eyes were open, he saw no one; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.ἠγέρθη δὲ ὁ Σαῦλος ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἀνεῳγμένων τε τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ οὐδένα ἔβλεπε· χειραγωγοῦντες δὲ αὐτὸν εἰσήγαγον εἰς Δαμασκόν.

9And he was three days not seeing, and neither ate nor drank.καὶ ἦν ἡμέρας τρεῖς μὴ βλέπων, καὶ οὐκ ἔφαγεν οὐδὲ ἔπιεν.

10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Behold I am here, Lord.”Ἦν δέ τις μαθητὴς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὀνόματι Ἀνανίας, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος ἐν ὁράματι, Ἀνανία. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ, Κύριε.

11And the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to Straight Street, and seek out in the house of Judas a man named Saul, of Tarsus; for behold, he is praying.ὁ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν, Ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τὴν καλουμένην Εὐθεῖαν καὶ ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα Σαῦλον ὀνόματι Ταρσέα· ἰδοὺ γὰρ προσεύχεται,

12And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might see again.”καὶ εἶδεν ἐν ὁράματι ἄνδρα ὀνόματι Ἀνανίαν εἰσελθόντα καὶ ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ χεῖρα ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃ.

13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many wicked things he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem;ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Ἀνανίας, Κύριε, ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου, ὅσα κακὰ ἐποίησε τοῖς ἁγίοις σου ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ·

14and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who are calling on Your name.”καὶ ὧδε ἔχει ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δῆσαι πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου.

15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel to Me to bear My name before Gentiles and kings, and the sons of Israel.εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος, Πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοί ἐστιν οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ·

16For I will show him all the things that he must suffer for My name's sake.”ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑποδείξω αὐτῷ ὅσα δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου παθεῖν.

17And Ananias departed and entered the house; and putting his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me, the One who appeared to you in the way which you were coming, so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”ἀπῆλθε δὲ Ἀνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπε, Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ Κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με, ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος Ἁγίου.

18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again; and he got up and was baptized.καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσον ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ λεπίδες, ἀνέβλεψέ τε καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη,

19And when he had received food, he was strengthened. Now Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for several days.καὶ λαβὼν τροφὴν ἐνίσχυσεν. Ἐγένετο δὲ ὁ Σαῦλος μετὰ τῶν ἐν Δαμασκῷ μαθητῶν ἡμέρας τινάς.

20And immediately in the synagogues he was proclaiming Christ, that He is the Son of God.καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσε τὸν Χριστὸν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

21And all those who heard were astounded, and were saying, “Is this not the one 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?”ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες καὶ ἔλεγον, Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πορθήσας ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο, καὶ ὧδε εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθεν ἵνα δεδεμένους αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς;

22But Saul all the more was growing strong, and was confounding the Jews who were dwelling in Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Christ.Σαῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμοῦτο καὶ συνέχυνε τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Δαμασκῷ, συμβιβάζων ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός.

23Now when many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him.Ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί, συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν·

24But their plot became known to Saul. And they closely watched the city gates both day and night, in order that they might kill him.ἐγνώσθη δὲ τῷ Σαύλῳ ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὐτῶν. παρετήρουν τε τὰς πύλας ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀνέλωσι·

25But the disciples, taking him by night, they let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.λαβόντες δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ νυκτὸς καθῆκαν διὰ τοῦ τείχους χαλάσαντες ἐν σπυρίδι.

26Now when Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.Παραγενόμενος δὲ ὁ Σαῦλος ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπειρᾶτο κολλᾶσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς· καὶ πάντες ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτόν, μὴ πιστεύοντες ὅτι ἐστὶ μαθητής.

27But Barnabas, taking hold of him, brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he spoke boldly in the name of Jesus.Βαρνάβας δὲ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτὸν ἤγαγε πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶδε τὸν Κύριον καὶ ὅτι ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ, καὶ πῶς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ἐπαρρησιάσατο ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.

28So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem,καὶ ἦν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν εἰσπορευόμενος εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ παρρησιαζόμενος ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ,

29and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and he was speaking and disputing with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were attempting to kill him.ἐλάλει τε καὶ συνεζήτει πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς· οἱ δὲ ἐπεχείρουν αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν.

30But the brothers, learning about it, brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.ἐπιγνόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κατήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς Καισάρειαν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν αὐτὸν εἰς Ταρσόν.

31Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.Αἱ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησίαι καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Γαλιλαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας εἶχον εἰρήνην οἰκοδομούμεναι, καὶ πορευόμεναι τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τῇ παρακλήσει τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπληθύνοντο.

32Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he went down to the saints who were dwelling in Lydda.Ἐγένετο δὲ Πέτρον διερχόμενον διὰ πάντων κατελθεῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Λύδδαν.

33And he found there a certain man named Aeneas, who had been confined to a bed for eight years, who was paralyzed.εὗρε δὲ ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπόν τινα Αἰνέαν ὀνόματι ἐξ ἐτῶν ὀκτὼ κατακείμενον ἐπὶ κραββάτῳ, ὃς ἦν παραλελυμένος.

34And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately.καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος, Αἰνέα, ἰᾶταί σε Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός· ἀνάστηθι καὶ στρῶσον σεαυτῷ. καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέστη.

35And all who were dwelling at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.καὶ εἶδον αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες Λύδδαν καὶ τὸν Ἀσσάρωνα, οἵτινες ἐπέστρεψαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον.

36Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which, being translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable giving which she was doing.Ἐν Ἰόππῃ δέ τις ἦν μαθήτρια ὀνόματι Ταβιθά, ἣ διερμηνευομένη λέγεται Δορκάς· αὕτη ἦν πλήρης ἀγαθῶν ἔργων καὶ ἐλεημοσυνῶν ὧν ἐποίει.

37But it came about in those days that she became sick and died; and they washed her, and put her in an upper room.ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀσθενήσασαν αὐτὴν ἀποθανεῖν· λούσαντες δὲ αὐτὴν ἔθηκαν ἐν ὑπερῴῳ.

38Now since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was in Joppa, sent to him, urging him not to delay in coming to them.ἐγγὺς δὲ οὔσης Λύδδης τῇ Ἰόππῃ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Πέτρος ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν παρακαλοῦντες μὴ ὀκνῆσαι διελθεῖν ἕως αὐτῶν.

39And arising, Peter went with them. When he arrived, they took him into the upper room, and all the widows stood beside him weeping, showing him tunics and cloaks which Dorcas was making, while she was with them.ἀναστὰς δὲ Πέτρος συνῆλθεν αὐτοῖς· ὃν παραγενόμενον ἀνήγαγον εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον, καὶ παρέστησαν αὐτῷ πᾶσαι αἱ χῆραι κλαίουσαι καὶ ἐπιδεικνύμεναι χιτῶνας καὶ ἱμάτια ὅσα ἐποίει μετ᾽ αὐτῶν οὖσα ἡ Δορκάς.

40But Peter, having put them all outside, knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.ἐκβαλὼν δὲ ἔξω πάντας ὁ Πέτρος θεὶς τὰ γόνατα προσηύξατο, καὶ ἐπιστρέψας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα εἶπε, Ταβιθά, ἀνάστηθι. ἡ δὲ ἤνοιξε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὸν Πέτρον ἀνεκάθισε.

41And giving to her his hand, he raised her up; and when he called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive.δοὺς δὲ αὐτῇ χεῖρα ἀνέστησεν αὐτήν, φωνήσας δὲ τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ τὰς χήρας παρέστησεν αὐτὴν ζῶσαν.

42And it became known throughout all of Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.γνωστὸν δὲ ἐγένετο καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς Ἰόππης, καὶ πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον.

43And he stayed for some time in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.ἐγένετο δὲ ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς μεῖναι αὐτὸν ἐν Ἰόππῃ παρά τινι Σίμωνι βυρσεῖ.

The Fathers on Acts 9

Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Acts 9:10, 12

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 400 AD · Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles

“And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”

Read Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles →

On Acts 9:26–27

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 400 AD · Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles

“And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way.”

Read Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles →