Acts 9:19b-31

Acts 9

Saul (Paul) Proclaims Jesus

¹⁹ Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days. ²⁰ Immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, “Isn’t this the one who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? Didn’t he come here for this very purpose: to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² But Saul continued to get stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

²³ After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, ²⁴ but Saul was informed of their plot. They were watching the gates both day and night in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his ^[1] disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket. ^[2]

²⁶ When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ Saul stayed with them, coming and going freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He kept on talking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were looking for a way to kill him. ³⁰ When the brothers ^[3] learned about this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace as it was strengthened. It grew in numbers as it lived in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.