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JUNE 30
has seen a man named Ananias coming in and to you on the road as you came, has sent me
putting his hand on him, so that he might that you may receive your sight and be filled
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receive his sight.” with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have from his eyes something like scales, and he
heard from many about this man, how much received his sight at once; and he arose and
harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. was baptized.
And here he has authority from the chief
14 19 So when he had received food, he was
priests to bind all who call on Your name.” strengthened. Then Saul spent some days
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a with the disciples at Damascus.
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chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name 20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the
before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Is- synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
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rael. For I will show him how many things he 21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said,
must suffer for My name’s sake.” “Is this not he who destroyed those who called
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here
house; and laying his hands on him he said, for that purpose, so that he might bring them
“Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared bound to the chief priests?”
DAY 29: How did the apostle Paul come to faith in Jesus Christ?

The apostle Paul was originally named Saul, after the first king of Israel. He was born a Jew,
studied in Jerusalem under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3),and became a Pharisee (23:6).He was also a Roman
citizen, a right he inherited from his father (22:8). Acts 9:1–19 records the external facts of his con-
version (see also 22:1–22; 26:9–20). Philippians 3:1–14 records the internal spiritual conversion.
At the time of his conversion Saul was “still breathing threats and murder” against Christians
(Acts 9:1; 1 Tim. 1:12,13; 1 Cor. 15:9). He was in Damascus, the capital of Syria, which apparently had
a large population of Jews, including Hellenist believers who fled Jerusalem to avoid persecution
(Acts 9:2). He had letters authorizing him to seek out those “who were of the Way.”This description
of Christianity, derived from Jesus’ description of Himself (John 14:6), appears several times in Acts
(19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22).
The “light…from heaven” (v. 3) that struck him was the appearance of Jesus Christ in glory
(22:6; 26:13) and was visible only to Saul (26:9).The voice that asked him,“Why are you persecuting
Me?” was that of Jesus (v. 5). An inseparable union exists between Christ and His followers. Saul’s
persecution represented a direct attack on Christ. Saul arose from that encounter, blinded by the
light, and went in obedience to await the next step (v. 6).
Meanwhile, Ananias was being given divine instructions concerning Paul and Paul’s ministry.
He is told that Saul is a “chosen vessel,”literally “a vessel of election”(v.15).There was perfect conti-
nuity between Paul’s salvation and his service; God chose him to convey His grace to all men (Gal.
1:1; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11). Paul used this same word 4 times (Rom. 9:21,23; 2 Cor. 4:7; 2 Tim. 2:21).
“Before Gentiles,kings,and the children of Israel.”Paul began his ministry preaching to Jews (13:14;
14:1; 17:1,10; 18:4; 19:8), but his primary calling was to Gentiles (Rom. 11:13; 15:16). God also called
him to minister to kings such as Agrippa (25:23–26:32) and likely Caesar (25:10–12; 2 Tim. 4:16,17).
Ananias went to Paul and “laying his hands on him,” he prayed for Paul’s healing and that he
would “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 17). He was then filled with the Spirit and empowered for
service (2:4,14; 4:8,31; 6:5,8).

JUNE 30 twenty-four thousand were to look after the
work of the house of the LORD, six thousand
were officers and judges, four thousand were
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gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the
1 Chronicles 23:1–25:31
LORD with musical instruments, “which I
So when David was old and full of made,” said David, “for giving praise.”
23 days, he made his son Solomon king 6 Also David separated them into divisions
over Israel. among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and
2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Merari.
Israel, with the priests and the Levites. Now the 7 Of the Gershonites: Laadan and Shimei.
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Levites were numbered from the age of thirty 8 The sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel, then
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years and above; and the number of individual Zetham and Joel—three in all. The sons of
males was thirty-eight thousand. Of these, Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran—three
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