Acts9
New Living Translation
1Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest.
2He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
3As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
6Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one!
8Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus.
9He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
10Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.
11The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.
12I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”
13“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!
14And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
15But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
16And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.
19Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.
20And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
21All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”
22Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
23After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.
24They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.
25So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!
27Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
28So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
29He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.
30When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
31The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
32Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda.
33There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.
34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly.
35Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.
36There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.
37About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room.
38But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”
39So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.
40But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!
41He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.
42The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.
43And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Acts 9.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The conversion of Saul. (1–9). Saul converted preaches Christ. (10–22). Saul is persecuted at Damascus, and goes to Jerusalem. (23–31). Cure of Eneas. (32–35). Dorcas raised to life. (36–43).
vv1-9
So ill informed was Saul, that he thought he ought to do all he could against the name of Christ, and that he did God service thereby; he seemed to breathe in this as in his element. Let us not despair of renewing grace for the conversion of the greatest sinners, nor let such despair of the pardoning mercy of God for the greatest sin. It is a signal token of Divine favour, if God, by the inward working of his grace, or the outward events of his providence, stops us from prosecuting or executing sinful purposes. Saul saw that Just One, ch. 22:14; 26:13. How near to us is the unseen world! It is but for God to draw aside the veil, and objects are presented to the view, compared with which, whatever is most admired on earth is mean and contemptible. Saul submitted without reserve, desirous to know what the Lord Jesus would have him to do. Christ's discoveries of himself to poor souls are humbling; they lay them very low, in mean thoughts of themselves. For three days Saul took no food, and it pleased God to leave him for that time without relief. His sins were now set in order before him; he was in the dark concerning his own spiritual state, and wounded in spirit for sin. When a sinner is brought to a proper sense of his own state and conduct, he will cast himself wholly on the mercy of the Saviour, asking what he would have him to do. God will direct the humbled sinner, and though he does not often bring transgressors to joy and peace in believing, without sorrows and distress of conscience, under which the soul is deeply engaged as to eternal things, yet happy are those who sow in tears, for they shall reap in joy.
vv10-22
A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessings of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them. Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Yet even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the commands of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scanty expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we are apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions.
vv23-31
When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proof of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert one soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be too suspicious of those against whom they have prejudices. The world is full of deceit, and it is necessary to be cautious, but we must exercise charity, 1Co 13:5. The Lord will clear up the characters of true believers; and he will bring them to his people, and often gives them opportunities of bearing testimony to his truth, before those who once witnessed their hatred to it. Christ now appeared to Saul, and ordered him to go quickly out of Jerusalem, for he must be sent to the Gentiles: see ch. 22:21. Christ's witnesses cannot be slain till they have finished their testimony. The persecutions were stayed. The professors of the gospel walked uprightly, and enjoyed much comfort from the Holy Ghost, in the hope and peace of the gospel, and others were won over to them. They lived upon the comfort of the Holy Ghost, not only in the days of trouble and affliction, but in days of rest and prosperity. Those are most likely to walk cheerfully, who walk circumspectly.
Key Words
δέ (dé): but, and, etc.
Σαῦλος (Saûlos): Saulus (i.e. Shaul), the Jewish name of Paul
ἔτι (éti): "yet," still (of time or degree)
ἐμπνέω (empnéō): to inhale, i.e. (figuratively) to be animated by (bent upon)
ἀπειλή (apeilḗ): a menace
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
φόνος (phónos): murder
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
μαθητής (mathētḗs): a learner, i.e. pupil
κύριος (kýrios): supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title)
Cross References
Acts 9Paul's subsequent account detailing that the Lord spoke in the Hebrew tongue.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Paul's own autobiographical recollection of how he beyond measure persecuted the church.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Our Lord's identification of Himself with His persecuted, suffering members on earth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's account of his escape from Damascus in a basket under Aretas.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's testimony of his authorization from the high priest and estate of elders.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Paul's description of Ananias as a devout man according to the law.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Paul's reflection on his sovereign separation from his mother's womb to preach Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Peter's assertion that healing power belongs solely to Jesus Christ's name, not his.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Paul's description of his pre-conversion life as a blasphemer and persecutor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Scriptural source for kicking like a pampered, stubborn ox against the master's goad.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Lord's direct commission to Paul to bear His name to the Gentiles.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Peter putting everyone out of the room, mimicking Jesus' manner at Jairus' house.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Paul clarifies he was blinded by the glory of that brilliant heavenly light.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's first journey to Jerusalem three years after his Damascus conversion.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB