READ | ACTS CHAPTER 9
Saul’s Conversion
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 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. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 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. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
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. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
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. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
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. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
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.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 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?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
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. 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. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
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.
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 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!”
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.
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. 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. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 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. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 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. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
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. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
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. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
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. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
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.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 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?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
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. 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. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
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.
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 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!”
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.
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. 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. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
DEVOTIONAL
Have you ever held a grudge against someone? Perhaps there is a person at your work you see as a rival that you just know has said horrible things about you behind your back. Maybe you got into a fight in middle school and even now, many years later, whenever you see that person around town you still feel anger or bitterness towards them? Maybe someone you trusted stole something from you or never paid you back that money they borrowed. It can be difficult to forgive someone or let go of an offense. Part of us wants to hold onto and remember every terrible thing a person has done towards us so that one day we can pay them back and even the score. But this is not the life and attitude we were called to live out as children of God.
The focus of Acts chapter 9 is on the character Saul, who would later become Paul and his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. Paul would become the main character for the rest of the book of Acts, but there was another character within this chapter we should take a closer look at. A character often overlooked who may have contributed to the expansion of the early church much more than we realize. In verse 10, we read about a disciple named Ananias. A man who was a believer in Jesus and a respected disciple. It could be assumed that Ananias and all the Christ-followers in Damascus were aware that Saul was coming to do horrible things to anyone who claimed Jesus as Lord. Saul had been vicious in his persecution of Christians in Jerusalem, to both men, women, and children. It could be assumed the same was about to happen in Damascus. Saul was coming and much suffering, pain, and persecution would follow in his wake. The Christians of Damascus most likely held a form of bitterness and anger towards him in their hearts. They had heard the news of what had happened to Stephen and the other disciples in Jerusalem. However, they did not yet know about Saul’s conversion experience on the road to Damascus.
God’s instructions to Ananias were clear and specific. Yet, understandably, Ananias questioned the words of the Lord and reminded God of Saul’s treachery and persecution of the church. From Ananias’ words, we see the bitter grudge come to the surface, and it was not unfounded. Yet God has no use or purpose for his children to hold onto hatred against his other children. God commanded Ananias that, despite his feelings and reservations, to go and pray for the confused, blind, and terrified Saul that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit. He was also told to baptize him and to accept him as a brother. This meant that any hatred or bitterness Ananias held towards Saul would have to be laid down. How difficult that must have been for Ananias, knowing all that Saul had done against people that he loved. Yet, humbling himself to seek this man out, pray for him and accept Saul as a brother. One could assume that as the scales fell off Saul’s eyes and Ananias heard his genuine and heartfelt prayers, he too felt the weight of past grudges, hatred, and animosity, fall off his own shoulders. God truly was in the business of saving the most wretched of souls. Ananias was witnessing a miracle in the making!
This series of events was one of the most significant happenings of the early church, not only the conversion of Saul, but his acceptance by Ananias. The acceptance of Saul by Ananias into the Christian community did much to jumpstart Saul’s ministry. If not for Ananias, Saul may have been looked upon with suspicion and kept at arm’s length his entire life. Instead, Saul, who would become Paul, jumped headlong into spreading the gospel, planting churches, and becoming a vital aspect of the spread of Christianity to gentiles throughout the Roman Empire.
Think about this in your own life. Do we hold grudges or prejudice towards someone because of who they are or what they have done before they came to Christ? What about someone who impacted you directly in a negative way? Are we willing to let the past be the past and accept one another as brothers and sisters in Christ? Perhaps God has a plan and purpose for the life of that person who we couldn’t possibly imagine giving their life to Christ. Maybe God wants to use you to help them, lead them, and refine their rough edges, instead of being an obstacle to their conversion and acceptance into the family of God. Our prayer should always be that we would see people the way that God sees them, not through a lens of hatred, suspicion, or bitterness, but with a sense of hope and faith that God can and will draw people to himself, even those that may seem too far gone.
The focus of Acts chapter 9 is on the character Saul, who would later become Paul and his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. Paul would become the main character for the rest of the book of Acts, but there was another character within this chapter we should take a closer look at. A character often overlooked who may have contributed to the expansion of the early church much more than we realize. In verse 10, we read about a disciple named Ananias. A man who was a believer in Jesus and a respected disciple. It could be assumed that Ananias and all the Christ-followers in Damascus were aware that Saul was coming to do horrible things to anyone who claimed Jesus as Lord. Saul had been vicious in his persecution of Christians in Jerusalem, to both men, women, and children. It could be assumed the same was about to happen in Damascus. Saul was coming and much suffering, pain, and persecution would follow in his wake. The Christians of Damascus most likely held a form of bitterness and anger towards him in their hearts. They had heard the news of what had happened to Stephen and the other disciples in Jerusalem. However, they did not yet know about Saul’s conversion experience on the road to Damascus.
God’s instructions to Ananias were clear and specific. Yet, understandably, Ananias questioned the words of the Lord and reminded God of Saul’s treachery and persecution of the church. From Ananias’ words, we see the bitter grudge come to the surface, and it was not unfounded. Yet God has no use or purpose for his children to hold onto hatred against his other children. God commanded Ananias that, despite his feelings and reservations, to go and pray for the confused, blind, and terrified Saul that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit. He was also told to baptize him and to accept him as a brother. This meant that any hatred or bitterness Ananias held towards Saul would have to be laid down. How difficult that must have been for Ananias, knowing all that Saul had done against people that he loved. Yet, humbling himself to seek this man out, pray for him and accept Saul as a brother. One could assume that as the scales fell off Saul’s eyes and Ananias heard his genuine and heartfelt prayers, he too felt the weight of past grudges, hatred, and animosity, fall off his own shoulders. God truly was in the business of saving the most wretched of souls. Ananias was witnessing a miracle in the making!
This series of events was one of the most significant happenings of the early church, not only the conversion of Saul, but his acceptance by Ananias. The acceptance of Saul by Ananias into the Christian community did much to jumpstart Saul’s ministry. If not for Ananias, Saul may have been looked upon with suspicion and kept at arm’s length his entire life. Instead, Saul, who would become Paul, jumped headlong into spreading the gospel, planting churches, and becoming a vital aspect of the spread of Christianity to gentiles throughout the Roman Empire.
Think about this in your own life. Do we hold grudges or prejudice towards someone because of who they are or what they have done before they came to Christ? What about someone who impacted you directly in a negative way? Are we willing to let the past be the past and accept one another as brothers and sisters in Christ? Perhaps God has a plan and purpose for the life of that person who we couldn’t possibly imagine giving their life to Christ. Maybe God wants to use you to help them, lead them, and refine their rough edges, instead of being an obstacle to their conversion and acceptance into the family of God. Our prayer should always be that we would see people the way that God sees them, not through a lens of hatred, suspicion, or bitterness, but with a sense of hope and faith that God can and will draw people to himself, even those that may seem too far gone.
