v.1-8
Saul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus
v.9-19
Ananias is sent to pray for Saul
v.20-24
Saul under threat in Damascus
v.25-31
Barnabas helps Saul in Jerusalem
v.32-35
Peter heals Aeneas in Lydda
v.36-43
Peter raises Dorcas from the dead in Joppa
v.1-8
Saul encounters Jesus on the road to Damascus
v.1,2
Meanwhile,
Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's
disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters
to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who
belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them
as prisoners to Jerusalem.
v.3
As
he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him.
v.4
He
fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul,
why do you persecute me?”
v.5
“Who
are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”
he replied.
v.6
“Now
get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must
do.”
v.7
The
men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the
sound but did not see anyone.
v.8
Saul
got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see
nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
[Passage
Synopsis: This
‘Close Encounters' type experience leaves Paul devastated and
blind. It is one of the very rare occasions where God imposes
Himself and His will on someone. Speculating, one might ask had
the Lord got to the point where, if it were us, we'd be saying,
“Saul, I've had enough of your antics. I appreciate your zeal
but it is misplaced and you are so set in your ideas, I know what
I can achieve through you, so I am going to take the unusual step
of overwhelming you so you will come to your senses”.]
v.9-19
Ananias is sent to pray for Saul
v.9
For
three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
v.10
In
Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to
him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes,
Lord,” he answered.
v.11
The
Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and
ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
v.12
In
a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands
on him to restore his sight.”
v.13
“Lord,”
Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and
all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.
v.14
And
he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest
all who call on your name.”
v.15
But
the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument
to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the
people of Israel.
v.16
I
will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
v.17
Then
Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on
Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to
you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you
may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
v.18,19
Immediately,
something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see
again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food,
he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples
in Damascus.
[Passage
Synopsis: The
story of this Ananias [as against the one in chapter 5] is delightful,
which has been encapsulated by the song, ‘Sitting in the window
praying' by various artists. It is an example of a simple believer
who accepts the vision he has is from God and, despite his misgivings,
becomes a channel of blessing for Saul. I wonder if, looking back,
he realised the stature of the man he was praying over and the
consequences of being God's instrument?]
v.20-24
Saul under threat in Damascus
v.20
At
once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son
of God.
v.21
All
those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn't he the man
who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?
And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief
priests?”
v.22
Yet
Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in
Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
v.23,24
After
many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to
kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept
close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
[Passage
Synopsis: From
the word go, Saul (Paul) just has to start preaching about Jesus.
Yet, as had happened with Stephen, his prominence draw the attention
of the Jews of Damascus who determined to kill him – but one martyr
at this stage is enough! His first escape from a town.]
v.25-31
Barnabas helps Saul in Jerusalem
v.25
But
his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through
an opening in the wall.
v.26
When
he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they
were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
v.27
But
Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them
how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had
spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly
in the name of Jesus.
v.28
So
Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking
boldly in the name of the Lord.
v.29
He
talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, [That
is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture] but
they tried to kill him.
v.30
When
the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea
and sent him off to Tarsus.
v.31
Then
the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time
of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord
and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
[Passage
Synopsis: From
Damascus Saul is helped by Barnabas in Jerusalem where his past
reputation means he is first avoided and when he later moves about
preaching, yet again a Jewish group become very hostile so a second
time he is sent away; escape number two! This time back to his
original home – Tarsus]
v.32-35
Peter heals Aeneas in Lydda
v.32
As
Peter travelled about the country, he went to visit the Lord's
people who lived in Lydda.
v.33
There
he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden
for eight years.
v.34
“Aeneas,”
Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up
your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.
v.35
All
those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the
Lord.
[Passage
Synopsis: Meanwhile
Peter is still travelling around the country and visits Lydda
(otherwise known as Lod) a town with much Greek influence and
encounters and heals Aeneas resulting in many turning to the Lord.]
v.36-43
Peter raises Dorcas from the dead in Joppa
v.36
In
Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is
Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.
v.37
About
that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and
placed in an upstairs room.
v.38
Lydda
was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in
Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at
once!”
v.39
Peter
went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the
room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him
the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was
still with them.
v.40
Peter
sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and
prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get
up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.
v.41
He
took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called
for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to
them alive.
v.42
This
became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
v.43
Peter
stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
[Passage
Synopsis: From
Lydda Peter goes to the coastal town of Joppa where a well-known
Christian lady called Tabitha or Dorcas has just died. Possibly
because his reputation precedes him he is called for, prays over
her and raises her from the dead, again with the result that many
people turn to the Lord. Thus, so far, Luke has shown us Peter
involved with healing a forty year old man lame from birth (Acts
3), healing a man bedridden for eight years (v.34 above) and now
raising Dorcas from the dead. The fact that healings had been
mentioned earlier, even that Peter's shadow caused people to be
healed (5:15) and the apostles were known for healing (5:16) indicates
the level of the Lord's activities through his servants so that,
time and time again, many people turned to the Lord as a result.]
Continue
to chapter 10