Paul

54When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

When the leaders heard this, they were very angry. They ground their teeth at him.

55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

But Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit. He looked up into heaven. He saw the shining glory of God. He saw Jesus standing at God's right side.

56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

He said, "Look! I see heaven opened. I see the Son of Man standing at God's right side."

57Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

Then they shouted very loudly and covered their ears. They all rushed at him together.

58And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

They dragged him out of the city and threw stones at him. The men who spoke against him laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

While they threw the stones, Stephen prayed. He said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Then he knelt down and cried out loudly. He said, "Lord, do not blame them for this sin." After he said this, he died.

1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Saul agreed that Stephen should be killed. That same day people began to hurt the church in Jerusalem. The church is the group of people who follow Jesus. They all ran away to the lands of Judea and Samaria. Only the apostles stayed. The apostles were the leaders Jesus had chosen.

2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Men who loved God buried Stephen. They cried out loud because they were very sad.

3As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Saul tried to destroy the church. He went into house after house. He dragged out men and women and put them in jail.

4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

The people who had run away told the good news about Jesus everywhere they went.

1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

Saul was still saying angry things about the followers of Jesus. He even wanted them killed. He went to the high priest, the top leader at the temple.

2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Saul asked him for letters to the meeting places in Damascus. Then, if he found any men or women who followed the way of Jesus, he could tie them up. He would bring them back to Jerusalem.

3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

Saul was on the road, coming close to Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed all around him.

4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

He fell down on the ground. He heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why are you hurting me?"

5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus. You are hurting me. Kicking against a sharp stick only hurts you."

6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Saul was shaking and amazed. He said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" The Lord said, "Get up and go into the city. Someone will tell you what to do."

7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

The men walking with Saul stood still. They could not say a word. They heard the voice, but they saw no one.

8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he could not see. So the men led him by the hand into Damascus.

9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

For three days he could not see. He did not eat or drink anything.

10And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

A follower of Jesus lived in Damascus. His name was Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, a picture God gave him to see. The Lord said, "Ananias!" He answered, "I am here, Lord."

11And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

The Lord said, "Get up. Go to the street called Straight. Ask at Judas's house for a man named Saul. He comes from the town of Tarsus. Right now he is praying.

12And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

"In a vision Saul has seen a man named Ananias come in. That man puts his hands on Saul so he can see again."

13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

Ananias said, "Lord, many people have told me about this man. He has hurt your people in Jerusalem very badly.

14And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

"The chief priests, the temple leaders, gave him the right to come here. He can arrest anyone who prays to you."

15But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

But the Lord said, "Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will tell about me to kings and to the people of Israel. He will tell people who are not Jews too.

16For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

"I will show him how much he must suffer because he serves me."

17And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

So Ananias went to the house and went inside. He put his hands on Saul. He said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus sent me. He is the one who met you on the road. He sent me so you can see again. He will also fill you with the Holy Spirit."

18And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Right away something like fish scales fell off Saul's eyes. He could see again. He got up and was baptized, washed with water to show he belonged to Jesus.

19And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

Then he ate some food, and he felt strong again. Saul stayed for a few days with the followers of Jesus in Damascus.

20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Right away he began to preach in the meeting places. He told people that Jesus is the Son of God.

21But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

Everyone who heard him was surprised. They said, "Isn't this the man who hurt Jesus' followers in Jerusalem? Didn't he come here to tie them up? Wasn't he going to take them to the chief priests?"

22But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

But Saul grew stronger and stronger. He showed the Jewish people in Damascus that Jesus is the Christ, the King God promised. They could not argue back.

23And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

After many days went by, some of the Jews there made a plan to kill Saul.

24But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

But Saul found out about their plan. They watched the city gates day and night, waiting to kill him.

25Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

So the followers of Jesus helped him at night. They put him in a big basket. They let him down through an opening in the city wall.

26And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

Saul came to Jerusalem. He tried to join the followers of Jesus there. But they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he was really a follower.

27But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Then Barnabas took him to the apostles, the men Jesus chose to lead. He told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road. He told them how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He told them how bravely Saul preached about Jesus in Damascus.

28And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

So Saul stayed with them. He came and went all around Jerusalem.

29And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

He spoke bravely about the Lord Jesus. He argued with Jews who spoke Greek. Those men tried to kill him.

30Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

When the other believers found this out, they took Saul to the city of Caesarea. From there they sent him to Tarsus.

25Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:

Then Barnabas went to the city of Tarsus to look for Saul.

26And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

He found him and brought him back to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church there. They taught a great many people. In Antioch the followers were first called Christians.

27And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

During that time some prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says.

28And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

One of them was named Agabus. He stood up and said, by the Spirit, that a great hunger was coming everywhere. This happened later, when Claudius was the ruler of Rome.

29Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:

So the followers decided to send help to the believers living in Judea. Each one gave what he was able to give.

30Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

That is what they did. They sent the gift to the church leaders. Barnabas and Saul carried it for them.

1Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Not written for this reading age yet.

2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Not written for this reading age yet.

3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Not written for this reading age yet.

4So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

Not written for this reading age yet.

5And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

Not written for this reading age yet.

6And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Not written for this reading age yet.

7Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

Not written for this reading age yet.

8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

Not written for this reading age yet.

9Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

Not written for this reading age yet.

10And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

Not written for this reading age yet.

11And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Not written for this reading age yet.

12Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Not written for this reading age yet.