Acts 9:1-31
New American Standard Bible
The Conversion of Saul
9 (A)Now [a]Saul, still (B)breathing [b]threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for (C)letters from him to (D)the synagogues in (E)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to [c](F)the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and (G)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and (H)he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and (I)it will be told to you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him (J)stood speechless, (K)hearing the [d]voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and (L)though his eyes were open, he [e]could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into (M)Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple in (N)Damascus named (O)Ananias; and the Lord said to him in (P)a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from (Q)Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen [f]in a vision a man named Ananias come in and (R)lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, (S)how much harm he did to (T)Your [g]saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he (U)has authority from the chief priests to [h]arrest all who (V)call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for (W)he is a chosen [i]instrument of Mine, to bear My name before (X)the Gentiles and (Y)kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for (Z)I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after (AA)laying his hands on him said, “(AB)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 (AC)filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.
Saul Begins to Preach Christ
Now (AD)for several days he was with (AE)the disciples who were in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (AF)in the synagogues, [j]saying, “He is (AG)the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem (AH)destroyed those who (AI)called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the [k]Christ.
23 When (AJ)many days had elapsed, (AK)the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but (AL)their plot became known to Saul. (AM)They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
26 (AN)When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But (AO)Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had (AP)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how (AQ)he had (AR)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. 28 And he was with them, [l]moving about freely in Jerusalem, (AS)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [m](AT)Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 Now when (AU)the [n]brothers learned of it, they brought him down to (AV)Caesarea and (AW)sent him away to (AX)Tarsus.
31 So (AY)the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria [o]enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it [p]continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 9:1 Later called Paul
- Acts 9:1 Lit threat
- Acts 9:2 See John 14:6
- Acts 9:7 Or sound
- Acts 9:8 Lit was seeing
- Acts 9:12 A few early mss do not contain in a vision
- Acts 9:13 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 9:14 Lit bind
- Acts 9:15 Or vessel
- Acts 9:20 Lit that
- Acts 9:22 I.e., Messiah
- Acts 9:28 Lit going in and going out
- Acts 9:29 Jews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation
- Acts 9:30 I.e., disciples
- Acts 9:31 Lit was having
- Acts 9:31 Lit went
Acts 22:1-21
New American Standard Bible
Paul’s Defense before the Jews
22 “[a](A)Brothers and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”
2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the [b](B)Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he *said,
3 “(C)I am (D)a Jew, born in (E)Tarsus of (F)Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated [c]under (G)Gamaliel, [d](H)strictly according to the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as (I)you all are today. 4 (J)I persecuted this (K)Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5 as also (L)the high priest and all (M)the Council of the elders [e]can testify. From them I also (N)received letters to (O)the brothers, and started off for (P)Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem [f]as prisoners to be punished.
6 “(Q)But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am (R)Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 And those who were with me (S)saw the light, but (T)did not [g]understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘(U)What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that has been appointed for you to do.’ 11 But since I (V)could not see because of the [h]brightness of that light, I came into Damascus being led by the hand by those who were with me.
12 “Now a certain (W)Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law and (X)well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing nearby he said to me, ‘(Y)Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And [i](Z)at that very moment I looked up at him. 14 And he said, ‘(AA)The God of our fathers has (AB)appointed you to know His will and to (AC)see the (AD)Righteous One and to hear a [j]message from His mouth. 15 For you will be (AE)a witness for Him to all people of (AF)what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why do you delay? (AG)Get up and be baptized, and (AH)wash away your sins by (AI)calling on His name.’
17 “It happened when I (AJ)returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I (AK)fell into a trance, 18 and I saw Him saying to me, ‘(AL)Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another (AM)I used to imprison and (AN)beat those who believed in You. 20 And (AO)when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby and approving, and watching over the cloaks of those who were killing him.’ 21 And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away (AP)to the Gentiles.’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 22:1 Lit Men, brothers
- Acts 22:2 I.e., Jewish Aramaic
- Acts 22:3 Lit at the feet of
- Acts 22:3 Lit according to the strictness of the ancestral law
- Acts 22:5 Lit testifies for me
- Acts 22:5 Lit having been bound
- Acts 22:9 Or hear (with comprehension)
- Acts 22:11 Lit glory
- Acts 22:13 Or instantly; lit at the very hour
- Acts 22:14 Lit voice
Acts 26:1-23
New American Standard Bible
Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
26 (A)Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
2 “Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 3 [a]especially because you are an expert in all (B)customs and [b]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “So then, all Jews know (C)my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, 5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a (D)Pharisee (E)according to the strictest (F)sect of our religion. 6 And now I am standing trial (G)for the hope of (H)the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise (I)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this (J)hope, O king, I am being (K)accused by Jews. 8 Why is it considered incredible among you people (L)if God raises the dead?
9 “So (M)I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to (N)the name of Jesus [c]of Nazareth. 10 And this is [d]just what I (O)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the [e]saints in prisons, after (P)receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also (Q)cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. 11 And (R)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was (S)extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them (T)even to [f]foreign cities.
12 “[g]While so engaged, (U)as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, [h]brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 And when we had (V)all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the [i](W)Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [j]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and (X)stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to (Y)appoint you as a (Z)servant and (AA)a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 (AB)rescuing you (AC)from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to (AD)open their eyes so that they may turn from (AE)darkness to light, and from the [k]power of (AF)Satan to God, that they may receive (AG)forgiveness of sins and an (AH)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by (AI)faith in Me.’
19 “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but continually proclaimed (AJ)to those in Damascus first, and (AK)in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even (AL)to the Gentiles, that they are to (AM)repent and turn to God, performing deeds (AN)consistent with repentance. 21 For these reasons some Jews (AO)seized me in the temple and tried (AP)to murder me. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day (AQ)testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what (AR)the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, 23 as to (AS)whether the [l]Christ was [m]to suffer, and whether, as (AT)first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim (AU)light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 26:3 Or because you are especially expert
- Acts 26:3 Or controversial issues
- Acts 26:9 Or the Nazarene
- Acts 26:10 Lit also
- Acts 26:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 26:11 Or outlying
- Acts 26:12 Lit In which things
- Acts 26:13 Lit above the brightness of
- Acts 26:14 I.e., Jewish Aramaic
- Acts 26:14 An idiom referring to an animal’s futile resistance to being prodded with a spiked stick
- Acts 26:18 Or dominion
- Acts 26:23 I.e., Messiah
- Acts 26:23 Lit subject to suffering
Galatians 1:11-24
New American Standard Bible
Paul Defends His Ministry
11 For (A)I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is (B)not [a]of human invention. 12 For (C)I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a (D)revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of (E)my former way of life in Judaism, how I (F)used to persecute (G)the church of God beyond measure and (H)tried to destroy it; 14 and I (I)was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my [b]countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my (J)ancestral traditions. 15 But when [c]He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and (K)called me through His grace was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might (L)preach Him among the Gentiles, (M)I did not immediately consult with [d](N)flesh and blood, 17 (O)nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to (P)Damascus.
18 Then (Q)three years later I went up (R)to Jerusalem to [e]become acquainted with [f](S)Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I did not see another one of the apostles except [g](T)James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now in what I am writing to you, [h]I assure you (U)before God that I am not lying.) 21 Then (V)I went into the regions of (W)Syria and (X)Cilicia. 22 I was still unknown by [i]sight to (Y)the churches of Judea which are (Z)in Christ; 23 but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching (AA)the faith which he once (AB)tried to destroy.” 24 And they (AC)were glorifying God [j]because of me.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Galatians 1:11 Lit according to man
- Galatians 1:14 Lit race
- Galatians 1:15 One early ms God who
- Galatians 1:16 I.e., people
- Galatians 1:18 Or visit
- Galatians 1:18 I.e., Peter
- Galatians 1:19 Or Jacob
- Galatians 1:20 Lit behold before God
- Galatians 1:22 Lit face
- Galatians 1:24 Lit in me
Philippians 3:1-7
New American Standard Bible
The Goal of Life
3 Finally, my brothers and sisters, (A)rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble for me, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Beware of the (B)dogs, beware of the (C)evil workers, beware of the [a]false circumcision; 3 for (D)we are the true [b]circumcision, who (E)worship in the Spirit of God and take (F)pride in (G)Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh, 4 although (H)I myself could boast as having confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: 5 (I)circumcised the eighth day, of the (J)nation of Israel, of the (K)tribe of Benjamin, a (L)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, (M)a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, (N)a persecutor of the church; as to the (O)righteousness which is in the Law, found (P)blameless.
7 But (Q)whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Philippians 3:2 Lit mutilation; Gr katatome
- Philippians 3:3 Gr peritome
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Bible Gateway Recommends





