ACTS 9 1-20

[  ] references {  } thots, a reading & study, verses R paraphrased N.T. in a year

Book of the Acts of the First Believers

1 - (Pharisee) Saul was still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and asked for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, saying if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem.

     3 Later on his way to Damascus, a bright light suddenly shone all about him. 4 It was so bright he fell to the ground. And he heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

     5 And Saul said, “Who are you?” And the voice said, “I’m Jesus, the one you’re persecuting! 6 Get up now and go into the city, and you’ll be told what to do.”

     7 The others who were traveling with him were speechless, for they had heard the voice but didn’t see anyone. 8 Saul got up, and although his eyes were open, he couldn’t see a thing. So they led him into Damascus. 9 He wasn’t able to see for three days, during which time he didn’t eat or drink.

     10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”

     Ananias said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said, “Go to the street they call Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. He’s praying 12 and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on him so he might see.”

     13 But Ananias said, “Lord, I’ve heard about this man! How much evil he’s done to the believers at Jerusalem. 14 And now I hear he has authority from the leading priests {authorities of the nation} in Jerusalem to arrest all who call on your name.”

     15 But the Lord said to him, “Don’t worry, he’s a chosen vessel of mine to bring my name to the nations, before kings, and also to the children of Israel. 16 I’ll show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name [onoma - name, authority, cause].”

     17 So Ananias went and entered the house. Then laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road has sent me to you so you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” {The Presence of God.}

     18 And immediately the darkness fell from his eyes, and he could see. Then Saul rose up and was baptized, 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

      For some days he stayed with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And right away he went to the synagogues and proclaimed Jesus, saying, “He’s the Son of God!”

Next - 9:21-43

ACTS 7 38-60

    Book of the Acts of the First Believers

Stephen, first Christian martyr, continues his history lesson, saying - 38 - “This (Moses) is the one who was with the people in the wilderness, and with our fathers and the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai. He received the living oracles to be given to us. 39 Yet our fathers refused to obey, and pushed him aside, in their hearts turning back to Egypt. 40 They said to Aaron (Moses’ brother, first priest) ‘Make for us gods who will lead us. As for this Moses, who led us out from Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a molten image of a calf, an idol, and offered a sacrifice and made merry to it, a work of their own hands! 42 But God turned away and he gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it’s written in the prophets - ‘Did you bring to me whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (ultimately representing our heart and days) “during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch (😳) and the star of your god Rephan, images you made to worship, so I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’”

    44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness/testimony/likeness in the wilderness, just as he directed Moses to make it, according to the pattern he showed to him. 45 And in turn, our fathers, following Joshua, brought it in the land when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them.” (Canaanite cannibaals?) “And so it was until the days of David, 46 who, as we know, found favor in the sight of God, and asked to build a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High doesn’t dwell in houses made by man’s hands, as the prophet says, 49 ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the LORD (YHVH) or what is the place of my rest? 50 Was it not I who made all these things?’”

     51 “You stiff-necked people!” Stephen said to them. “Uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you! 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One. Who you have now betrayed and murdered! 53 You who received the law delivered by angels, but didn’t keep it.”

     54 Now when they heard this they (the leaders at council) were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit(/Presence of God) gazed upward and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand (Rev.12:5). 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they became all the more enraged, covered their ears, and rushed together at him, 58 and dragged him out of the city, and they stoned him. The participants laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul (later Paul). 59 And as they were stoning him, Stephen said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” And when he had said this, he fell asleep [koimaó - sleep, fall asleep, sometimes the sleep of death].

                     ~*~

 🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Next: 8:1-24

From my own studies. Paraphrased to post.

W𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕝𝕪 B𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕗 A𝕔𝕥𝕤 9 21-43

21 - All who heard him (Saul/Paul) were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leaders?” 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After some time some of the Jewish leaders plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 One night his disciples took him and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall. 26 Then 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 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, that he had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, and how then Saul had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and moved about freely with the followers in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic/Greek Jews, but they were seeking to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus, his hometown. 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the awe of the Lord. And with encouragement of the Holy Spirit, they grew in numbers.

     32 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they 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 this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to him and they urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for 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 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed on for a while in Joppa in the house of a man named Simon, a tanner of leather.

                         ~*~

     Very Brief Outline of Acts:

Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).

The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.

The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).

     Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.

                            🍃

W𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕝𝕪 B𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕗 A𝕔𝕥𝕤 9 1-20

1 - Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, 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 Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting 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 who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and he 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 said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers 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, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 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. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for several days. 20 Soon he went to the synagogues and started proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God. 

                         ~*~

     Very Brief Outline of Acts:

Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).

The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.

The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).

     Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.

                            🍃