Saul Becomes a Follower of the Lord
(Acts 22.6-16Acts 26.12-18)1 Saul kept on threatening to kill the Lord's followers. He even went to the high priest 2 and asked for letters to the leaders of the synagogues in Damascus. He did this because he wanted to arrest and take to Jerusalem any man or woman who had accepted the Lord's Way. 3 When Saul had almost reached Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul! Saul! Why are you so cruel to me?”
5 “Who are you?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus,” the Lord answered. “I am the one you are so cruel to. 6 Now get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do.”
7 The men with Saul stood there speechless. They had heard the voice, but they had not seen anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he could not see a thing. Someone then led him by the hand to Damascus, 9 and for three days he was blind and did not eat or drink.
10 A follower named Ananias lived in Damascus, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision. Ananias answered, “Lord, here I am.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. When you get there, you will find a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. Saul is praying, 12 and he has seen a vision. He saw a man named Ananias coming to him and putting his hands on him, so he could see again.”
13 Ananias replied, “Lord, a lot of people have told me about the terrible things this man has done to your followers in Jerusalem. 14 Now the chief priests have given him the power to come here and arrest anyone who worships in your name.”
15 The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I have chosen him to tell foreigners, kings, and the people of Israel about me. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for worshiping in my name.”
17 Ananias left and went into the house where Saul was staying. Ananias placed his hands on him and said, “Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me. He is the same one who appeared to you along the road. He wants you to be able to see and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Suddenly something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see. He got up and was baptized. 19 Then he ate and felt much better.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
For several days Saul stayed with the Lord's followers in Damascus. 20 Soon he went to the synagogues and started telling people that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 Everyone who heard Saul was amazed and said, “Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble for those people in Jerusalem who worship in the name of Jesus? Didn't he come here to arrest them and take them to the chief priests?”
22 Saul preached with such power that he completely confused the Jewish people in Damascus, as he tried to show them that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 Later some of them made plans to kill Saul, 24 but he found out about it. He learned that they were guarding the gates of the city day and night in order to kill him. 25 Then one night his followers let him down over the city wall in a large basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a true follower. 27 Then Barnabas helped him by taking him to the apostles. He explained how Saul had seen the Lord and how the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also said when Saul was in Damascus, he had spoken bravely in the name of Jesus.
28 Saul moved about freely with the followers in Jerusalem and told everyone about the Lord. 29 He was always arguing with the Jews who spoke Greek, and so they tried to kill him. 30 But the followers found out about this and took Saul to Caesarea. From there they sent him to the city of Tarsus.
31 The church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria now had a time of peace and kept on worshiping the Lord. The church became stronger, as the Holy Spirit encouraged it and helped it grow.
Peter Heals Aeneas
32 While Peter was traveling from place to place, he visited the Lord's followers who lived in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who for eight years had been sick in bed and could not move. 34 Peter said to Aeneas, “Jesus Christ has healed you! Get up and make up your bed.” At once he stood up.
35 Many people in the towns of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas and became followers of the Lord.
Peter Brings Dorcas Back to Life
36 In Joppa there was a follower named Tabitha. Her Greek name was Dorcas, which means “deer.” She was always doing good things for people and had given much to the poor. 37 But she got sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Joppa wasn't far from Lydda, and the followers heard that Peter was there. They sent two men to say to him, “Please come with us as quickly as you can!” 39 At once, Peter went with them.
The men took Peter upstairs into the room. Many widows were there crying. They showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was still alive.
40 After Peter had sent everyone out of the room, he knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the body of Dorcas and said, “Tabitha, get up!” The woman opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.
Peter called in the widows and the other followers and showed them that Dorcas had been raised from death. 42 Everyone in Joppa heard what had happened, and many of them put their faith in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed on for a while in Joppa in the house of a man named Simon, who made leather.
Eitedhululo lyaSaulus
(Iil. 22:6-16Iil. 26:12-18)1 Ihe pomasiku ngeyaka Saulus okwa li u udha uutondwe okutonda aalongwa yOmuwa nokwa hala oku ya dhipaga. Oye okwa yi komuyambimukuluntu 2 e te mu indile, a pewe oontumwafo dhi faalelwe aawiliki yoosinagoga muDamaskus, opo a wape okukwata nokweeta kuJerusalem aalanduli ayehe yondjila yOmuwa mboka te ya adha ko, aalumentu naakiintu.
3 Ano mondjila ye yokuya kuDamaskus, sho a li popepi noshilando, okwa adhiminwa ombaadhilila kuuyelele wa zi megulu. 4 Oye okwi ihata pevi noku uvu ewi tali mu popitha tali ti: “Saulus, Saulus, omolwashike to tidhagana ndje?”
5 Saulus okwa pula a ti: “Ongoye lye, Omuwa?”
Ewi olye mu yamukula lya ti: “Ongame Jesus, ngoka to mu tidhagana. 6 Thikama po, inda moshilando, moka to ka lombwelwa shoka u na oku shi ninga.”
7 Aalumentu mboka ya li taa ende pamwe naSaulus, oya si onkumamuthika yo inaa tumbula nando oshitya shimwe. Oyo oyu uvu ewi, ihe inaa mona nando omuntu gumwe. 8 Saulus okwa thikama ihe, sho a tonata, okwa li a tsika ye inaa vula okumona nando osha. Onkee oye mu kwata koshikaha noye mu fala kuDamaskus. 9 Saulus nokwa kala a tsika uule womasiku gatatu, nopethimbo ndyoka alihe ina lya sha ye ina nwa nando osha.
10 MuDamaskus omwa li mu na omulongwa gumwe, edhina lye Ananias. Omuwa okwe mu ihololele memoniko nokwe mu lombwele ta ti: “Ananias!”
Oye okwa yamukula a ti: “Ongame nguka, Omuwa!”
11 Nena Omuwa okwe mu lombwele ihe ta ti: “Thikama, inda kaandjaJudas mEpandaanda lya lukwa Eukililo e to pula omulumentu Omutarsus, edhina lye Saulus. Ongoye to ke mu adha ta galikana. 12 Nokuli oye okwa mono memoniko omulumentu, edhina lye Ananias, te ya kuye e te mu tenteke iikaha ye, opo a tonate.”
13 Ananias okwa yamukula a ti: “Omuwa, onda hokololelwa kaantu oyendji kutya omulumentu nguka okwa hepeke noonkondo aantu yoye muJerusalem. 14 Nokuli huka kuDamaskus okwe ya ko e na epitikilo lyaayambi aakuluntu okukwata ayehe mboka haa ku galikana.”
15 Omuwa okwe mu lombwele a ti: “Inda ko kuye, oshoka ngame onde mu hogolola, a longele ndje ye a tseyithile aapagani naakwaniilwa yawo nAaisraeli edhina lyandje. 16 Ngame mwene onda hala oku mu ulukila, uudhigu mpoka u thike mboka e na oku u humbata omolwedhina lyandje.”
17 Ananias okwa thikama ihe e ta yi. Oye okwa yi megumbo ndyoka nokwa tenteke iikaha ye kuSaulus e te mu lombwele ta ti: “Mumwameme Saulus, Omuwa Jesus ngoka e ku ihololele mondjila yoye, sho to ya huka, oye a tumu ndje kungoye, opo u mone ko ishewe nou udhithwe Ombepo Ondjapuki.” 18 Mbalambala momeho gaSaulus omwa gu iinima ya fa iipeta yoohi, oye nokwa tsikuluka. Nena oye okwa thikama e ta shashwa. 19 Opo ihe Saulus okwa li iikulya nokwa kolo.
Saulus tu uvitha muDamaskus
Saulus okwa kala paalongwa yomuDamaskus omasiku gamwe. 20 Oye okwa yi u ukilila kosinagoga nokwa tameke okuuvithila aantu kutya Jesus oye Omuna gwaKalunga.
21 Ayehe mboka ye mu uvu, oya kumwa. Oyo oya pulathana ya ti: “Omulumentu nguka haye ngoka a li ha dhipaga aantu ayehe mboka haa galikana medhina ndika lyaJesus muJerusalem? Pamwe naahuka okwe ya ko nelalakano tuu ndyoka okukwata aantu ya tya ngaaka, ye e ya fale kaayambi aakuluntu?”
22 Ihe Saulus oku uvitha noonkondo. Oye okwa tompo Aajuda yomuDamaskus kutya Jesus oye Kristus, yo inaa vula oku mu ludhikitha.
23 Sho pwa piti omasiku ogendji, Aajuda oya gongala noyu uvanene, ya dhipage Saulus. 24 Ihe Saulus okwa londodhwa. Aajuda oya kala ihe ya langela iiyelo yoshilando uusiku nomutenya, opo ye mu dhipage. 25 Ihe aalanduli yaSaulus oye mu pitithile mombululu yomekuma noye mu kulukithile pevi e li montungwa.
Saulus muJerusalem
26 Saulus okwa yi kuJerusalem nokwa kambadhala okwiitula mongundu yaalongwa yaahoka. Ihe ayehe oya li ye mu tila, oshoka oya li ya nyengwa okwiitaala kutya Saulus okwi itedhulula. 27 Ihe Barnabas okwi itula puye e te mu fala kaayapostoli nokwe mu tseyitha kuyo. Barnabas okwa hokololele aayapostoli, nkene Omuwa ihololele Saulus mondjila yokuya kuDamaskus naashoka Omuwa e mu lombwele. Oye okwe ya hokololele wo, nkene Saulus a li u uvitha edhina lyaJesus nuulaadhi uunene muDamaskus. 28 Onkee ano Saulus okwa kala paalongwa nokwe ende noshilando ashihe shaJerusalem nokuuvitha edhina lyOmuwa Jesus nuulaadhi uunene. 29 Oye okwa li wo ha popi nokuludhika nAajuda mboka haa popi Oshigreka, ihe mbaka oya li taa kambadhala oku mu dhipaga. 30 Ano ooitaali sho ya dhimbulula oshinima sha tya ngaaka, oya kutha Saulus noye mu fala kuKesarea e taye mu tumu kuTarsus.
31 Nena egongalo alihe lyomuJudea, muGalilea nomuSamaria olya kala li na ombili. Kekwatho lyOmbepo Ondjapuki egongalo olya tungala nolyi indjipala, naayehe oya li haa simaneke Omuwa.
Petrus muLidda nomuJoppa
32 Petrus okwa li he ende apehe mokati kaalongwa, onkee pethimbo limwe okwa yi, a ka talele po aantu yaKalunga mboka ya kala muLidda. 33 Omo a adha omulumentu, edhina lye Eneas, ngoka a kala uule woomvula hetatu e na uuvu wombanda. 34 Petrus okwe mu lombwele a ti: “Eneas, Jesus Kristus ote ku aludha ngashingeyi. Thikama, u yale iinguma yoye.” Mbalambala Eneas okwa thikama. 35 Aantu ayehe mboka ya kala muLidda nomesilu lyaSharon, oye mu mono noyi itaale Omuwa.
36 Ano muJoppa omwa li mwa kala omukiintu omwiitaali, edhina lye Tabita. Edhina ndika mOshigreka oDorkas, ndyoka tali ti omenye. Oye okwa kala aluhe ta longo uuwanawa nota kwatha oohepele. 37 Pomasiku ngeyaka Tabita okwa kwatwa kuuvu e ta si. Nena ooitaali oya yogo omudhimba gwe noye gu langeke mondjugo yopombanda. 38 Ooitaali oya adhika yu uvu kutya Petrus oku li muLidda. Oshoka Lidda osha li popepi naJoppa, oya tumu aalumentu yaali kuPetrus nelaka tali ti: “Alikana, endelela, u ye kutse!”
39 Petrus okwa thikama ihe e ta yi pamwe nayo. Oye sho a thiki kuJoppa, oye mu fala mondjugo ndjoka yopombanda. Opo ihe aaselekadhi ayehe oye ya taa lili e taa kundukidha Petrus noye mu ulukile oohema noombaikitha ndhoka Tabita a li e dhi hondjo, manga a li e na omwenyo. 40 Nena Petrus okwe ya lombwele, ya ze mo mondjugo. Oye okwa tsu oongolo e ta galikana Kalunga. Opo ihe okwa punguluka nokwa taalele komudhimba e ta ti: “Tabita, penduka!”
Oye okwa tonata, naasho a mono Petrus, okwa kuutumba. 41 Petrus okwe mu kwata koshikaha nokwe mu ambidhidha. Oye okwi ithana ihe ooitaali naaselekadhi e te mu gandja kuyo e na omwenyo. 42 Onkundana ndjika oya taandele noshilando ashihe shaJoppa, onkee aantu oyendji mboka ye shi uvu, oyi itaale Omuwa. 43 Petrus okwa kala omasiku ogendji muJoppa maandjaSimon, omupeli gwiipa.
