Acts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
Acts 9:1
Ὁ δὲ Σαῦλος ἔτι ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς καὶ φόνου εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ κυρίου, προσελθὼν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ
Now Saul, still breathing out a threat and murder against the disciples of the Lord, came to the High Priest,
Paraphrase: Now Theophilus, let’s return again to Jerusalem. You will recall the name of Saul who I have already mentioned twice. First, he was the one who watched over the belongings of those who were busy stoning Stephen to death. Second, he was the one who had launched the persecution against the disciples of Jesus. Now this persecution was rapidly increasing in intensity with the result that the believers were scattering in all directions as I noted previously. (Acts 8:1) Saul was so full of zeal that finding no disciples left in Jerusalem, he went to the High Priest
Comments:
Acts 9:2
ᾐτήσατο παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὰς εἰς Δαμασκὸν πρὸς τὰς συναγωγάς, ὅπως ἐάν τινας εὕρῃ τῆς ὁδοῦ ὄντας, ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας, δεδεμένους ἀγάγῃ εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.
he asked from him letters to the synagogues in Damascus so that when anyone he might find being of the Way, men and women, binding, he might lead to Jerusalem.
Paraphrase: so that he might obtain permission to go to other cities and search for believers there. Hearing that there were Christians in Damascus, he asked the High Priest to write letters to the Damascus synagogues authorizing him to seek out and arrest any Christians he might find there, regardless of their age, sex, or condition and to bring them to Jerusalem for trial.
Comments:
Acts 9:3
ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐγένετο αὐτὸν ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ, ἐξαίφνης τε αὐτὸν περιήστραψεν φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,
Now while he was going, it happened that he drew near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
Paraphrase: Having received his letters, Saul set out for Damascus. As he and his assistants came in sight of the city, something happened which completely changed Saul’s life forever. It was around noon (Acts 22:6) when Saul and his men were approaching the city. Suddenly, the blazing, Syrian sun was thrown into a shadow by a powerful shaft of light which fell like a thunderbolt out of heaven and shone directly on the young Pharisee.
Comments:
Acts 9:4
καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσεν φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;
and falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?”
Paraphrase: This light was so powerful that it knocked Saul right out of his saddle (Acts 22:7) He fell horrified to the ground. “Saul, Saul!” cried out the heavenly voice, “Why are you continuing this futile persecution of my followers? Don’t you realize that you are not just persecuting people but actually persecuting God Himself?” (Acts 5:4)
Comments:
Acts 9:5
εἶπεν δέ· Τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δέ· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις·
Then he said, “Who are you, Lord?” But He “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
Paraphrase: Saul looked up in shock when he heard this voice from the heavens. “Who are you, Lord!?” he cried out not knowing if the voice was an angel or God Himself. The voice responded, “I am Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 22:8) the same One who was born in Bethlehem, the son of Mary and Joseph, and He whom your men crucified. I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18)
Comments:
Read Chrysostom’s remarks on why Jesus introduced Himself as Jesus of Nazareth and not Jesus, the Son of God.
Acts 9:6
ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ λαληθήσεταί σοι ὅ τί σε δεῖ ποιεῖν.
but get up and enter into the city and it will be told to you what it is necessary for you to do.”
Paraphrase: but now, get back on your horse and enter Damascus. Once you are settled there, I will send someone to give you My instructions on what you are to do next.”
Comments:
Acts 9:7
οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ συνοδεύοντες αὐτῷ εἱστήκεισαν ἐνεοί, ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες.
Now the men who were travelling with him stood speechless. On the one hand, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
Paraphrase: While this was going on, the men who were traveling with Saul stood in shock and were completely paralyzed with terror. At the first bolt of light from heaven, they had so recoiled in shock that they fell from their mounts and were struck to the ground just as Saul was. (Acts 26:14) As they got back to their feet, they were able to hear the sound of someone speaking, but they were not able to see who was speaking or to understand what was being said. (Acts 22:9)
Comments:
Acts 9:8
ἠγέρθη δὲ Σαῦλος ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἀνεῳγμένων δὲ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ἔβλεπεν· χειραγωγοῦντες δὲ αὐτὸν εἰσήγαγον εἰς Δαμασκόν.
Then Saul got up from the ground, his eyes being open but he was seeing nothing, but leading by hand, they brought him into Damascus.
Paraphrase: Saul finally recovered his composure and got up off the ground. As he stood there, he was completely blinded. He was perfectly able to open his eyes, but the blaze of light had taken away his ability to see. His companions took him by the hand and led him safely into the city where he was soon settled and able to reflect on what had just happened to him.
Comments:
Acts 9:9
καὶ ἦν ἡμέρας τρεῖς μὴ βλέπων, καὶ οὐκ ἔφαγεν οὐδὲ ἔπιεν.
and three days he was not seeing and he neither ate nor drank.
Paraphrase: The effect of this experience was so powerful that Saul neither ate nor drank for three days. Neither was he able to see anything at all.
Comments:
Acts 9:10
Ἦν δέ τις μαθητὴς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὀνόματι Ἁνανίας, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν ὁράματι ὁ κύριος· Ἁνανία. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ, κύριε.
Now there was a certain disciples in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to Him in a vision, “Ananias!” and he said, “Behold, here I am, Lord.”
Paraphrase: Now one of the disciples of Jesus who lived in Damascus was named Ananias. To this man, the Lord Jesus appeared in a vision. “Ananias!” said the Lord. “Yes, Lord,” said Ananias, “what do you want from me?”
Comments:
Acts 9:11
ὁ δὲ κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τὴν καλουμένην Εὐθεῖαν καὶ ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα Σαῦλον ὀνόματι Ταρσέα, ἰδοὺ γὰρ προσεύχεται,
Then the Lord to him, “Get up, go to the street called Straight and ask in the house of Judah for a Tarsian, named Saul, for behold, he is praying.
Paraphrase: “Get ready to move out; I have something very important for you to do. I want you to go to Straight street and find the house of Judah. Inquire in this house for a man from Tarsus whose name is Saul. I need you to find this man because I have begun a work of grace within him. I have revealed Myself to him, and now he is weeping as a father might weep when he has lost his oldest son. He weeps over his sin because now he knows that it was his sin which pierced Me and nailed me to the cross. Now hurry and find him; look, even now, he is praying and making supplication to Me for mercy. (Zechariah 12:10) This is the time of love for him. I am going to spread my garment over him! I am going to bring him into My covenant; he will become mine. (Ezekiel 16:8)
Comments:
Acts 9:12
καὶ εἶδεν ἄνδρα ἐν ὁράματι Ἁνανίαν ὀνόματι εἰσελθόντα καὶ ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ χεῖρας ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃ.
and he saw a man in a vision named Ananias entering and laying hands on him so that he might see again.
Paraphrase: Now hurry along because I have already shown this man, Saul, that you are coming. I have given to him a vision just as I have to you that you are coming to lay hands on him so that he will be able to see again.
Comments:
Acts 9:13
ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Ἁνανίας· Κύριε, ἤκουσα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου, ὅσα κακὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις σου ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ·
Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how that he has done evil to the saints in Jerusalem.
Paraphrase: Now this man, Ananias was quite taken aback at this summons. “Lord,” he objected, “Lots of people have come here from Jerusalem telling us that this is the very man who has wreaked havoc on the church in Jerusalem!
Comments:
Acts 9:14
καὶ ὧδε ἔχει ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δῆσαι πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου.
and here he has authority from the High Priest to bind all those who call on your Name.
Paraphrase: Furthermore, the word on the street is that this man has letters from the High Priest in Jerusalem giving him full authority to arrest anyone who prays to you as Lord and Messiah and to bring him to Jerusalem to face trial from the very men who stoned Stephen to death.”
Comments:
Acts 9:15
εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος· Πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς ἐστίν μοι οὗτος τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν τε καὶ βασιλέων υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ,
But the Lord said to him, “Go, because a chosen vessel he is to me; this one to carry my name before the nations and kings, and sons of Israel.”
Paraphrase: But Jesus hushed Ananias. “Don’t make any more objections but move along quickly and do as I have said. I know this man has letters from the High Priest in Jerusalem, but I am cancelling those orders. I am writing this man a new set of letters. This man is my vessel of choice, and I am going to use him to carry My Name before all the nations of the earth, even before those in the highest echelons of authority. He will also take My Name to the Jewish people and will proclaim to them Jesus as their Messiah.” (Isaiah 49:6)
Comments:
Acts 9:16
ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑποδείξω αὐτῷ ὅσα δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου παθεῖν.
Acts 9:17
ἀπῆλθεν δὲ Ἁνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ’ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπεν· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέν με, Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς πνεύματος ἁγίου.
Acts 9:18
καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὡς λεπίδες, ἀνέβλεψέν τε καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη,
Acts 9:19
καὶ λαβὼν τροφὴν ἐνίσχυσεν. Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἐν Δαμασκῷ μαθητῶν ἡμέρας τινὰς,
Acts 9:20
καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ.
Acts 9:21
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες καὶ ἔλεγον· Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πορθήσας ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο, καὶ ὧδε εἰς τοῦτο ἐληλύθει ἵνα δεδεμένους αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ
ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς;
Acts 9:22
Σαῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον ἐνεδυναμοῦτο καὶ συνέχυννεν τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Δαμασκῷ, συμβιβάζων ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός.
Acts 9:23
Ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί, συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν·
Acts 9:24
ἐγνώσθη δὲ τῷ Σαύλῳ ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὐτῶν. παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ τὰς πύλας ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀνέλωσιν·
Acts 9:25
λαβόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς διὰ τοῦ τείχους καθῆκαν αὐτὸν χαλάσαντες ἐν σπυρίδι.
Acts 9:26
Παραγενόμενος δὲ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπείραζεν κολλᾶσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς· καὶ πάντες ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτόν, μὴ πιστεύοντες ὅτι ἐστὶν μαθητής.
Acts 9:27
Βαρναβᾶς δὲ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτὸν ἤγαγεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶδεν τὸν κύριον καὶ ὅτι ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ καὶ πῶς ἐν Δαμασκῷ ἐπαρρησιάσατο ἐν τῷ
ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.
Acts 9:28
καὶ ἦν μετ’ αὐτῶν εἰσπορευόμενος καὶ ἐκπορευόμενος εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ, παρρησιαζόμενος ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου,
Acts 9:29
ἐλάλει τε καὶ συνεζήτει πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς· οἱ δὲ ἐπεχείρουν ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν.
Acts 9:30
ἐπιγνόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κατήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς Καισάρειαν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν αὐτὸν εἰς Ταρσόν.
Acts 9:31
Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησία καθ’ ὅλης τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Γαλιλαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας εἶχεν εἰρήνην οἰκοδομουμένη, καὶ πορευομένη τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ τῇ παρακλήσει τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος
ἐπληθύνετο.
Acts 9:32
Ἐγένετο δὲ Πέτρον διερχόμενον διὰ πάντων κατελθεῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Λύδδα.
Acts 9:33
εὗρεν δὲ ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπόν τινα ὀνόματι Αἰνέαν ἐξ ἐτῶν ὀκτὼ κατακείμενον ἐπὶ κραβάττου, ὃς ἦν παραλελυμένος.
Acts 9:34
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος· Αἰνέα, ἰᾶταί σε Ἰησοῦς Χριστός· ἀνάστηθι καὶ στρῶσον σεαυτῷ· καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέστη.
Acts 9:35
καὶ εἶδαν αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες Λύδδα καὶ τὸν Σαρῶνα, οἵτινες ἐπέστρεψαν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον.
Acts 9:36
Ἐν Ἰόππῃ δέ τις ἦν μαθήτρια ὀνόματι Ταβιθά, ἣ διερμηνευομένη λέγεται Δορκάς· αὕτη ἦν πλήρης ἔργων ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἐλεημοσυνῶν ὧν ἐποίει.
Acts 9:37
ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀσθενήσασαν αὐτὴν ἀποθανεῖν· λούσαντες δὲ ἔθηκαν αὐτὴν ἐν ὑπερῴῳ.
Acts 9:38
ἐγγὺς δὲ οὔσης Λύδδας τῇ Ἰόππῃ οἱ μαθηταὶ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Πέτρος ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀπέστειλαν δύο ἄνδρας πρὸς αὐτὸν παρακαλοῦντες· Μὴ ὀκνήσῃς διελθεῖν ἕως ἡμῶν·
Acts 9:39
ἀναστὰς δὲ Πέτρος συνῆλθεν αὐτοῖς· ὃν παραγενόμενον ἀνήγαγον εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον, καὶ παρέστησαν αὐτῷ πᾶσαι αἱ χῆραι κλαίουσαι καὶ ἐπιδεικνύμεναι χιτῶνας καὶ ἱμάτια ὅσα ἐποίει μετ’
αὐτῶν οὖσα ἡ Δορκάς.
Acts 9:40
ἐκβαλὼν δὲ ἔξω πάντας ὁ Πέτρος καὶ θεὶς τὰ γόνατα προσηύξατο, καὶ ἐπιστρέψας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα εἶπεν· Ταβιθά, ἀνάστηθι. ἡ δὲ ἤνοιξεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὸν Πέτρον
ἀνεκάθισεν.
Acts 9:41
δοὺς δὲ αὐτῇ χεῖρα ἀνέστησεν αὐτήν, φωνήσας δὲ τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ τὰς χήρας παρέστησεν αὐτὴν ζῶσαν.
Acts 9:42
γνωστὸν δὲ ἐγένετο καθ’ ὅλης τῆς Ἰόππης, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν πολλοὶ ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον.
Acts 9:43
ἐγένετο δὲ ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς μεῖναι ἐν Ἰόππῃ παρά τινι Σίμωνι βυρσεῖ.