Basic HTML Version
The Conversion of Saul
As Saul journeyed to Damascus, with letters authorizing him
to take men or women who were preaching Jesus, and bring them
bound to Jerusalem, evil angels exulted around him. But suddenly
a light from heaven shone round about him, which made the evil
angels flee and caused him to fall quickly to the ground. He heard a
voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” Saul inquired,
“Who art Thou, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And Saul,
trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to
do?” And the Lord said, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be
told thee what thou must do.”
The men who were with him stood speechless, hearing a voice,
but seeing no man. As the light passed away and Saul arose from
the earth and opened his eyes, he found himself totally deprived of
sight. The glory of the light of heaven had blinded him. They led
him by the hand and brought him to Damascus, and he was three
days without sight, neither did he eat nor drink. The Lord then sent
His angel to one of the very men whom Saul had hoped to take
captive and revealed to him in vision that he should go into the street
called Straight, “and inquire in the house of Judas for one called
Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a
man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he
might receive his sight.”
Ananias feared that there might be some mistake in this matter,
and began to relate to the Lord what he had heard of Saul. But the
Lord said unto Ananias, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel
[201]
unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel: for I will show him how great things he must
suffer for My name’s sake.” Ananias followed the directions of the
Lord, and entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said,
“Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the
196