Peter visits the saints in Lydda (today Lod). The city lies on the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem. It has been an important transport hub since ancient times.

In Acts 9:32, the believers in Jesus are referred to as saints for the second time.

Hananias had previously referred to the believers in Jerusalem as such in the same chapter (Acts 9:13).

Whoever invites Jesus into their life, the Father and the Son come to them through the Holy Spirit (John 14:23). The person is thereby sanctified and, according to biblical usage, is a saint.

In 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul writes: ‘To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.’

According to Paul, anyone who prays to Jesus is a saint. Holy means destined for God or belonging to him.

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Saul was let over the city wall of Damascus in a basket. This allowed him to escape (Acts 9:25).

Verse 23 says ‘after many days’ they decided to kill Saul. Galatians 1:17 says that Saul was in Arabia and returned to Damascus.

Paul probably spent some time in Petra. For in 2 Corinthians 11:32-33, Paul writes that King Aretas had the city gates in Damascus guarded. King Aretas IV ruled over Nabataea from 9 BC to 40 AD.

It is most likely that Paul had spread the gospel in Arabia-Petrea, outside the Jewish-Roman power. The king wanted to arrest him, but Saul went back to Damascus, where he was known and recognised.

Jesus’ message causes offence. Saul now faces this himself.

He was not trusted in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26). Barnabas, the ‘son of consolation’, stands up for Saul. In Damascus, Saul argued with the Jews on the basis of the Holy Scriptures. He behaved differently with the Greek Jews in Jerusalem. They were used to philosophical thinking. Everything had to sound ‘logical’ to them. So it is said that Saul ‘argued’ with the Greek Jews. Philosophy has open back doors in the way of thinking and speaking and philosophising leads to no end.

But Greek and Hebrew Jews agree on one thing: this man could become a global danger. He must die. Saul has to flee again. He goes to Tarsus, his home town.

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Turning to Jesus is not the happy ending of a story, but the start of a new life as a learner of Jesus.

Saul is immediately ready to do what Jesus tells him. Hananias, on the other hand, someone who already knows Jesus as Lord, initially has a big ‘but’ (Acts 9:13).

Firstly, Saul needs the ministry to himself. The unknown Hananias allows to be sent and goes in the name of Jesus to the man everyone is afraid of.

Then Saul begins to witness that Jesus was not a failed prophet, but the Son of God (Acts 9:20 / a title for the Jewish Messiah cf. John 11:27) and the promised Saviour (Acts 9:22).

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Although baptised, the believers in Samaria have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Only through the prayer of the apostles from Jerusalem do they receive the Holy Spirit.

This is where something new begins: not only Jews believe in Jesus, but also half-Jews.

This could have been the reason why the Holy Spirit only came to the believers in a conscious step and through the apostles Peter and John. The laying on of hands by the apostles connects the Jesus movement in Samaria with the church in Jerusalem.

Paul describes the sign of the Holy Spirit as follows: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace; patience, kindness and goodness; faithfulness, forbearance and self-control“ (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Holy Spirit also gives us a longing for God: “Lord, I long for you!” (Psalm 25:1).

He gives a childlike trust in God. Galatians 4:6: “But because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!”

And an inner certainty (Romans 8:16: “God’s Spirit himself gives us the inner certainty that we are God’s children.”)

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In Samaria, there is an influential and respected man named Simon who uses magic powers. However, his motivation is not to serve the people, but to gain power and honour. Simon is enthusiastic about the power that emanates from Philip. That is why he is baptised with others (Acts  8).

Simon does not seem to have received the Holy Spirit. It is possible to believe with the head without the heart being touched by the Holy Spirit. A renewal of the heart is needed.

By Simon, it is clear that his thinking has not been renewed. He remains in his magical thinking. He wants to use God. He is jealous and wants to buy spiritual gifts with money. But Jesus teaches: ‘Freely you have received, freely give’ (Matthew 10:8). Simon is not interested in serving, but in earning.

When Peter uncovers his misbehaviour, Simon only wants to be spared the consequences of his transgression. Although he is baptised, he does not repent. Justin, the martyr (100-165 from Samaria), later reports that Simon separated from the church and founded his own movement.

Faith is more than intellectual acceptance. Faith means receiving the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit and being changed by him.

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