20Saul promptly began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, declaring, “He is the Son of God.”
21All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
22But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,
24but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
25One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.
26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.
28So Saul stayed with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced a time of peace. It grew in strength and numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.