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Easter Season · Fifth Sunday of Easter · Year B

Acts 9:26-31

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

April 25, 2027

St Paul Preaching at Athens, Raphael
St Paul Preaching at Athens, Raphael, c. 1515–16Royal Collection, on long-term loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
One of Raphael's cartoons for the Sistine tapestries, full-size designs in bodycolour that have outlived the tapestries in fame. Paul stands with both hands raised before a sceptical crowd; Dionysius and Damaris are picked out among them.Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He spoke boldly in the name of the Lord.RaphaelRaphael Sanzio of Urbino (1483-1520), the youngest of the three who defined the High Renaissance. He died on Good Friday at thirty-seven.Royal Collection, on long-term loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonThe Raphael Cartoons belong to the Crown and have hung in a purpose-built gallery at the V&A since 1865, where they can be seen at the scale they were drawn.Royal Collection, on long-term loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Roman Lectionary
GospelJohn 15:1-8Jn 15:1-8
Second Reading1 John 3:18-241 Jn 3:18-24
First ReadingActs 9:26-31
Responsorial PsalmPs. 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 (26a)Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32 (26a)

Overview & Insights

“He had seen the Lord... and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 9:27)

Here we see how seriously Paul took his new vocation as a man “saved to serve.” But the pattern for the Twelve had been first to be with Jesus then to be sent out (Mark 3:14), and Paul soon found the need to be alone for a while with the Lord (cf. Mark 6:31). His own writings add a number of details to Luke’s narrative at this point.

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Take it further: Acts 9:26-31

Commentary

Acts 9 - The Conversion of Saul Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse by verse on Saul's wary welcome in Jerusalem and the church's growth in peace.

Acts 9:26 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentators on the disciples' fear of the newly converted persecutor.

Acts 9 Commentary Precept Austin

Detailed notes, maps, and cross references on Barnabas vouching for Saul.

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B Agape Bible Study

Catholic study of the first reading, tracing Saul's acceptance by the Jerusalem apostles.

Background & Word Study

Book of Acts Overview BibleProject

Animated overview showing how the gospel spreads outward through the early church.

Acts 9:26 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek text of this first reading with parsing (Acts is Greek New Testament, not Hebrew).

Acts Enter the Bible

Luther Seminary background on the structure and purpose of Acts.

The Church Fathers

Acts 9 Catena

Early church comment on Saul's reception collected verse by verse.

Questions preachers ask

What happens to Saul after his conversion?

The disciples fear the former persecutor until Barnabas vouches for him; Saul preaches boldly, escapes a plot, and the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoys peace and grows.

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