The New Testament with Commentary Acts 9

Saul of Tarsus

1 Meanwhile Saul, still exhaling murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he should find any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Jesus chooses Saul

3 So it happened, as he was going, that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him; 4 and falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” So the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;* 6 but get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul got up from the ground, and upon opening his eyes he saw no one; so leading him by the hand they brought him into Damascus. 9 He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.†

Ananias sent to Saul

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” So he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 So the Lord said to him: “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas inquire by name for Saul of Tarsus; because, you see, he is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing a hand on him, so that he might recover his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 Moreover here he has authority from the chief priests‡ to bind all who are calling on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him: “Get moving, because this man is a chosen vessel to me, to carry my name before nations and kings, also the children of Israel; 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.” 17 So Ananias went and entered the house, and placing his hands on him he said, “Brother§ Saul, the Lord,* who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may recover your sight and be filled by Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight forthwith;† and getting up he was baptized,‡ 19 and upon receiving food he was strengthened. So Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for a number of days.

Saul starts preaching

20 Immediately he started proclaiming Jesus§ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of the God. 21 Well, all who heard him were astounded and started saying: “Isn't this the one who tried to destroy, in Jerusalem, those who called on this name? Even here he had come with that purpose, that he might take them bound to the high priests.” 22 But Saul kept growing stronger and kept on confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that ‘This One is the Christ.’

Saul escapes death

23 Now when a good many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him; 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They started watching the gates day and night, so that they might kill him; 25 so the disciples* took him by night and passed him through the wall, lowering him in a hamper.†

Barnabas vouches for Saul

26 Now upon arriving in Jerusalem Saul kept trying to join himself to the disciples;‡ but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him in tow and brought him to the apostles, and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken fearlessly in the name of the Lord Jesus.§ 28 So he was with them in Jerusalem, going in and out, and speaking fearlessly in the name of Jesus.* 29 He kept on speaking and debating with the Hellenists, so they started trying to kill him.† 30 Upon finding it out, the brothers brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

A brief respite

31 So then the congregations‡ throughout all Judea and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace and were built up; and proceeding in the fear of the Lord and in the enabling of the Holy Spirit§ they were being multiplied.

Peter's ministry

32 Now it happened, as Peter went through all those parts, that he also went down to the saints who were living in Lydda.

Peter heals Aeneas

33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas who was paralyzed—he had been lying on a pallet for eight years. 34 Peter said to him: “Aeneas, Jesus the Messiah* is healing you. Get up and make your bed!”† And immediately he stood up! 35 All who were living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned‡ to the Lord.

Peter raises Dorcas

36 Now there was a certain disciple in Joppa named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds that she kept doing. 37 But it happened in those days that she took sick and died; so when they had washed her they placed her in the upper room.§ 38 Now Lydda was near Joppa; the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent to him imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39 So Peter got up and went with them; upon arriving they took him up to the upper room; all the widows stood around him weeping and showing the coats and garments that Dorcas was making* while she was with them. 40 So Peter put them all out,† kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, get up!” So she opened her eyes, and upon seeing Peter she sat up.‡ 41 Then he gave her a hand and lifted her up, and calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. 43 So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.

* 9:5 At this point AV and NKJV, following the TR, add: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “…” The addition comes from the Latin tradition; the Greek manuscripts do not have it. Some of the information may be found in the parallel accounts in Acts 22 and 26. † 9:9 Saul was in total shock; his world was being turned upside down. ‡ 9:14 I find it to be curious that the authority of the chief priests extended all the way to Damascus, but how did Ananias know about that? I suppose that Saul's companions gave out that information. § 9:17 That was a nice touch. At that moment it no doubt meant a lot to Saul to be called ‘brother’. * 9:17 Some 10% of the Greek manuscripts add ‘Jesus’, to be followed by most versions. † 9:18 Perhaps 70% of the Greek manuscripts do not have ‘forthwith’, and they are followed by printed editions of the Majority Text. However, the best line of transmission does have the word, as in AV and NKJV. ‡ 9:18 Any water in the house had to be carried there, so it is improbable that there could have been enough to immerse Saul. § 9:20 ‘Jesus’ is read by Family 35 and the earliest MSS, albeit representing only some 20% of the Greek MSS here; the rest have ‘the Christ’. To teach that the Messiah was the Son of God would be ‘old hat’, no problem—but Saul was showing that Jesus was God's Son. Notice the end of verse 22, “this One is the Christ”—what is the antecedent of “this”? To say that the Christ is the Christ would be stupid, which neither of the authors is. * 9:25 Evidently Ananias was not the only disciple of Jesus in Damascus, but we are not told how many there may have been. Of course, Saul's preaching may have added to the number. In fact some 3% of the Greek manuscripts add ‘his’ [i.e. Saul's] (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). † 9:25 From Paul's mention of this in 2 Corinthians 11:32-3, I gather that he felt this to be humiliating. ‡ 9:26 I get the impression that he made repeated efforts; after all, he probably had a very good idea of where different groups could be found. Either he didn't know where the apostles were, or lacked the courage to approach them. It was probably after several efforts that Barnabas got wind of what was happening; however, the news doubtless spread through the community quite quickly. § 9:27 How did Barnabas know all that? Perhaps he grilled Saul, before deciding he was on the up and up. I follow some 45% of the Greek manuscripts, including the best line of transmission, in reading ‘Lord Jesus’. * 9:28 Some 67% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘Lord Jesus’; I follow the best line of transmission (just 24% of the manuscripts here) in reading ‘Jesus’; (another 8% have only ‘Lord’). † 9:29 I imagine that it was at this juncture that Saul received the vision mentioned in Acts 22:17-21. ‡ 9:31 8% of the Greek manuscripts have ‘church’, singular (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). The true Text emphasizes that there were groups of believers scattered throughout that whole area. § 9:31 Does the Holy Spirit enable those who do not fear the Lord? Probably not very often. * 9:34 The Text being in Greek has “the Christ”, but Peter was probably speaking Hebrew, and he was declaring Jesus to be the Messiah. Perhaps 2% of the Greek manuscripts, of inferior quality, omit the definite article (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). † 9:34 It had been eight years since the last time he could make a bed! You can believe that it gave him great pleasure. ‡ 9:35 The idea is of a change of direction in belief or course of conduct. § 9:37 The upper room of her house; she was presumably reasonably well off. * 9:39 That is what the Text says; I get the impression that Dorcas used a production line method, and left a variety of unfinished garments. † 9:40 You could not hear yourself think in there; he had to do that so he could hear the Holy Spirit. ‡ 9:40 She had been dead for a number of hours.