“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” Saul asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came,
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” –Acts 9:4B-5 (NRSVCE)
Image Courtesy: Michaelangelo – Cappella Paolina , Vatican
The Conversion of Saul
Saul still breathing threats and murder against the Disciples of the Lord, went to the High Priest and asked him for letters to the Synagogue at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he (Saul) was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from Heaven flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
Saul asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting but get up and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do.”
The men who were traveling with him (Saul) stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing, so they (men traveling with Saul) led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a Disciple in Damascus named Ananias, the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” he answered, ‘Here I am Lord.’ The Lord said to him (Ananias) “Get up and go to the street called Straight and at the house of Judas, look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to Your Saint’s in Jerusalem and here he has authority from the Chief Priests to bind all who invoke Your name.’
The Lord said to him (Ananias), “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring My Name before Gentiles and Kings and before the people of Israel; I Myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My Name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and his sight was restored. Then Saul got up and was baptized, after taking some food, he regained his strength
Saul Preaches In Damascus
For several days, Saul was with the Disciples in Damascus and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the Synagogues saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ –Acts 9:1-20
Jesus (upon Commissioning the Disciples) said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved but the one who does not believe will be condemned.” –Mark 16:15-16
Universal Call To Worship
Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!
For great is His steadfast love toward us and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord! –Psalm 117
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