This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Acts 9:19-31, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Saul used to be mean to people who believed in Jesus. But when he encountered Jesus on the way to Damascus to persecute other believers, everything has changed.
After his encounter with Jesus, Paul started to tell people in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God! Everyone was surprised because they knew Saul used to be a mean guy who hurt people who believed in Jesus. But Saul was determined to tell people about Jesus, and he proved to them that Jesus is the Christ.
Some people in Damascus didn’t like what Saul was doing, and they wanted to kill him. But Saul’s friends found out about the plot, and they helped him escape from the city by lowering him in a basket through a hole in the wall.
Later, Saul went to Jerusalem and wanted to join the disciples there, but they were scared of him. They didn’t believe that he was a real disciple of Jesus because he used to be so mean to them. But one man named Barnabas believed Saul and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas told the apostles how Saul had seen Jesus and how he had been preaching boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
So Saul spent time in Jerusalem, preaching about Jesus with boldness. He talked to some people called the Hellenists, but they didn’t like what he had to say, and they wanted to hurt him. When Saul’s friends found out, they took him to a city called Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus to keep him safe.
And so, the church in all the places of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and grew stronger. They were afraid of the Lord but also comforted by the Holy Spirit, and many people joined them.
Biblical Lessons
- God can change anyone’s heart, no matter how mean they used to be.
- We should be brave and tell others about Jesus, even if it’s hard.
- We should be willing to forgive those who have hurt us, just as the disciples forgave Saul.
- It is important to have trusted friends who can help us in times of trouble, as Saul’s friends helped him escape from danger.
- God can protect us from danger when we trust in Him.
- Even when people don’t believe us, we should still speak the truth.