CONVERSION OF
SAINT PAUL

FEAST DAY:  JANUARY 25TH

1 And Saul,  Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high  priest,
2   And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues:  that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3   And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he  drew nigh to Damascus; and suddenly a light from heaven  shined round about him.
4   And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him:  Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5   Who said:  Who art thou, Lord?  And he:  I am Jesus whom  thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the  goad.
6   And he trembling and astonished, said:  Lord, what wilt  thou have me to do?
7   And the Lord said to him:  Arise, and go into the city,  and there it shall be told thee what thou must do.  Now  the men who went in company with him, stood amazed,  hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man.
8   And Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were  opened, he saw nothing.  But they leading him by the
    hands, brought him to Damascus.
9   And he was there three days, without sight, and he did  neither eat nor drink.
10  Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named  Ananias.  And the Lord said to him in a vision:  Ananias.
    And he said:  Behold I am here, Lord.
11  And the Lord said to him:  Arise, and go into the street  that is called Strait, and seek in the house of Judas, one
    named Saul of Tarsus.  For behold he prayeth.
12  (And he saw a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his  hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.)
13  But Ananias answered:  Lord, I have heard by many of this  man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in
    Jerusalem.
14  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind  all that invoke thy name.
15  And the Lord said to him:  Go thy way; for this man is to  me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the
    Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.
16  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my  name's sake.
17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house.  And  laying his hands upon him, he said:  Brother Saul, the  Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the  way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight,
    and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were  scales, and he received his sight; and rising up, he was
    baptized.
19  And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened.  And he  was with the disciples that were at Damascus, for some  days.
20  And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that  he is the Son of God.
21  And all that heard him, were astonished, and said:  Is not  this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon  this name:  and came hither for that intent, that he might  carry them bound to the chief priests?
22  But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded  the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the  Christ.
23  And when many days were passed, the Jews consulted  together to kill him.
24  But their laying in wait was made known to Saul.  And they  watched the gates also day and night, that they might kill  him.
25  But the disciples taking him in the night, conveyed him  away by the wall, letting him down in a basket.
26  And when he was come into Jerusalem, he essayed to join  himself to the disciples; and they all were afraid of him,  not believing that he was a disciple.
27  But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles,  and told them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had  spoken to him; and how in Damascus he had dealt  confidently in the name of Jesus.
28  And he was with them coming in and going out in Jerusalem,  and dealing confidently in the name of the Lord.

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