Acts 9 NIV
Saul's Conversion
Saul's Conversion
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
After Stephen was killed (Acts 7:54-60), Saul (who was later known as Paul) agreed that killing Stephen was good and he continued to seek out believers and persecute them. Many of the believers left Jerusalem to seek refuge in different cities. Saul traveled towards Damascus to see if he could find any followers of Christ. His plan was to arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem. But God had another plan! As you can see from this Scripture, God stopped Saul and asked him why did he persecute Him. When he got up, he couldn't see because he had scales over his eyes. That's when God had him look deep down into himself. I'm sure that Saul did not like what he saw. God showed him his heart and it wasn't a pretty sight.
Saul had been a rabbi who followed the Jewish law and there wasn't any room for any Jesus nonsense (or so he thought). He had great knowledge of Scripture, yet he became so egoistical and zealous that he thought he knew all the answers. Basically he became obsessed with knowledge and the law that he forgot the main things that his teacher taught him.
Later on in this story, we see that Saul got saved,- he gave his life to Jesus. God sent a brother named Ananias to help pray him through. He encouraged Saul and even quoted him Scripture. Saul got a new name - Paul. He saw God's grace and mercy first hand! What a calling Paul had received! He was to tell the people who were not Jews about Jesus but he also proved to the Jews that Jesus Christ is Lord. The world was set on fire by this great preacher. Paul knew Scriptures inside out (from when he was very young) but now he was going to have a relationship with God that would be sending him on tremendous journeys. Let us pray that we will have Paul's zeal for the Gospel and let's set the world on fire for Jesus!
