The Conversion of Saul

Title ideas:Saul believes in Jesus.A man who persecuted Christians became a Christian.The persecutor became the persecuted.

The day that some angry men [Jewish leaders] killed Stephen with heavy stones, a man named Saul guarded those men’s coats.

The same day, other angry men began harming [persecuting] all the Christians in the province [region]. Saul [and police] arrested many Christians in their houses and put them in jail.

Next, the Jewish high-priest gave to Saul authority [a permit] to go arrest Christians in a city called Damascus, and to put them in jail.

While Saul was traveling [riding on an animal] on a road leading to Damascus, a bright light [like the sun] shone [flashed] down on him.

Saul fell to the ground. A voice said to him, “Saul! Why are you harming me?” Saul asked, “Sir! [Lord!] Who are you?”

The voice replied, “I am Jesus! [When you harm my people,] you are harming [abusing] me. Rise up and go into Damascus. There, someone will come tell you what you must do.”

Men who were traveling with Saul heard the voice but they did not see who was speaking to Saul.

When Saul arose [stood up] from the ground, he was blind [not able to see]. Some men led him by his hand into Damascus. During three days, he was not able to see, and he was fasting [he ate nothing].

In another part of Damascus lived a Christian named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, “Ananias!” He replied, “Here am I, Lord!”

The Lord told Ananias where to find the house in which Saul was staying, then said, “Go see a man named Saul. He has seen you in a vision [dream]. When you touch Saul with your hands, he will be able to see, again.”

Ananias replied, “But Lord, I have heard that Saul has been harming Christians in other cities. He has now come here, with [and has] authority [a permit] to harm us Christians who reside [live] here, too!”

The Lord said, “Go! I have chosen Saul [to follow me]. He must go tell about me to men and to kings in other nations [tribes]. Other men will harm him [persecute him; cause him pain; cause him to suffer], because he obeys [believes in] me!”

Ananias obeyed the Lord. When he found [saw] Saul, Ananias touched Saul with his hands, and said, “Brother [friend], Saul, you saw the Lord Jesus on the road. He has sent me to you, so that you may see again. God’s Holy Spirit will now come to you [live with / be inside you].

Immediately [Just then], Saul was able to see again. Then, Ananias [someone] baptized Saul. From that day forwards, Saul obeyed all that Jesus would tell him to do.

Next few days, Saul went to see other Christians in Damascus and talked with them.

Saul also went to meeting places in Damascus for Jewish men. There he said to [Jewish] men, “Jesus is God’s Son [the Promised King / Messiah]!”

Saul’s words surprised [amazed] the Jews. They asked one another, “This is the man who harmed [persecuted] Christians in Jerusalem town, isn’t he?” “Yes, and he has come to Damascus to arrest [harm] Christians here, too!”

After several weeks, Saul was able to prove [show / argue] to others that Jesus is the Messiah. The Jews could not refute him [show that he was wrong].

[Some time] later, some angry Jewish leaders [teachers] decided that they would kill Saul. So they sent men to try to catch [capture] Saul.

Someone came and said to Saul, “The Jewish leaders have decided to kill you.” So, Saul’s friends helped him to escape from Damascus by lowering him over the high city wall in a big basket.

So, Saul went back to Jerusalem, where he tried to join with the Christians. But the Christians there were still afraid of him, and would not believe that he had become a real Christian.

But one Christian named Barnabas led Saul to the Christians’ top leaders and said, “Saul has seen the Lord Jesus, and Jesus has spoken to Saul. And Saul has told many people about Jesus in Damascus!”

So the Christians in Jerusalem allowed Saul to stay with them. Saul went many places telling people about Jesus. When Saul debated [argued / disputed] with some Jews, these men decided to kill him.

So, the Christians said to Saul, “You must leave Jerusalem, lest the Jews kill you.” So they sent Paul away [by ship across the Sea] to Saul’s home town [where he had grown up].

After that, the Christians enjoyed a time [several months] of peace [no one was harming them]. God’s Holy Spirit strengthened and encouraged the Christian groups, and they kept on increasing in numbers [welcoming new Christians].