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New Testament Reading - The conversion of Paul

¹But Paul, threatening with every breath and eager to destroy every Christian, went to the High Priest in Jerusalem. ²He requested a letter addressed to synagogues in Damascus, requiring their cooperation in the persecution of any believers he found there, both men and women, so that he could bring them in chains to Jerusalem.

³As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, suddenly a brilliant light from heaven spotted down upon him! ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Paul! Paul! Why are you persecuting me?”

⁵“Who is speaking, sir?” Paul asked.

And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city and await my further instructions.”

⁷The men with Paul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! ^8-9As Paul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind. He had to be led into Damascus and was there three days, blind, going without food and water all that time.

¹⁰Now there was in Damascus a believer named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord!” he replied.

¹¹And the Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street and find the house of a man named Judas and ask there for Paul of Tarsus. He is praying to me right now, for ¹²I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again!”

¹³“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I have heard about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! ¹⁴And we hear that he has arrest warrants with him from the chief priests, authorizing him to arrest every believer in Damascus!”

¹⁵But the Lord said, “Go and do what I say. For Paul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the nations and before kings, as well as to the people of Israel. ¹⁶And I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”

¹⁷So Ananias went over and found Paul and laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Paul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit and get your sight back.”

¹⁸Instantly (it was as though scales fell from his eyes) Paul could see and was immediately baptized. ¹⁹Then he ate and was strengthened.

He stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days ²⁰and went at once to the synagogue to tell everyone there the Good News about Jesus — that he is indeed the Son of God!