16. I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
17. Ananias went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you were coming here. He sent me so that you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18. Instantly, flakes fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.
19. After eating, he regained his strength. He stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days.
20. Right away, he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogues. "He is God’s Son," he declared.
21. Everyone who heard him was baffled. They questioned each other, "Isn’t he the one who was wreaking havoc among those in Jerusalem who called on this name? Hadn’t he come here to take those same people as prisoners to the chief priests?"
22. But Saul grew stronger and stronger. He confused the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
23. After this had gone on for some time, the Jews hatched a plot to kill Saul.
24. However, he found out about their scheme. They were keeping watch at the city gates around the clock so they could assassinate him.
25. But his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the city wall.
26. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him. They didn’t believe he was really a disciple.
27. Then Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles and told them the story about how Saul saw the Lord on the way and that the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them about the confidence with which Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.