"In that city was a man named Ananias, a religious man who obeyed our Law and was highly respected by all the Jews living there.

He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, see again!' At that very moment I saw again and looked at him.

The group presented them to the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on them.

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

They fasted and prayed, placed their hands on them, and sent them off.

Paul placed his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them; they spoke in strange tongues and also proclaimed God's message.

Some people brought children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and to pray for them, but the disciples scolded the people.

He was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you, which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the elders laid their hands on you.

Be in no hurry to lay hands on people to dedicate them to the Lord's service. Take no part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

For this reason I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you.

of the teaching about baptisms and the laying on of hands; of the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment.

Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem.

And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you."

After hearing him, they all praised God. Then they said, "Brother Paul, you can see how many thousands of Jews have become believers, and how devoted they all are to the Law.

He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, see again!' At that very moment I saw again and looked at him.

Then Joseph said to them, "Please come closer." They did, and he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

But this son of yours wasted all your property on prostitutes, and when he comes back home, you kill the prize calf for him!'

But we had to celebrate and be happy, because your brother was dead, but now he is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found.' "

Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.

And now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave: he is a dear brother in Christ. How much he means to me! And how much more he will mean to you, both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord!

Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for other believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart.

For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you persecute," the voice said.

There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, "Ananias!" "Here I am, Lord," he answered.

The Lord said to him, "Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying,

The Lord said to him, "Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.

You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

He said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see his righteous Servant, and to hear him speaking with his own voice.

'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. And the Lord answered, 'I am Jesus, whom you persecute.

and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him."

"You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his road for him,

This very day in David's town your Savior was born---Christ the Lord!

Last of all he appeared also to me---even though I am like someone whose birth was abnormal.

The first Adam, made of earth, came from the earth; the second Adam came from heaven.

Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.

and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again."

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

When they finished praying, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim God's message with boldness.

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The believers in Antioch were full of joy and the Holy Spirit.