Acts 22:9
in Acts 22My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
KJV
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
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This verse in Acts 22
Commentary
8 notes on this verse[Daniel 10:7] "And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me saw it not; but an exceeding great terror fell upon them, and they fled away and hid themselves." The Apostle Paul had a similar experience in the Book of Acts, in that while the others could see nothing, he alone beheld the vision (Acts 22:6-9).
This site's exposition
could not understand the voice
Paul says his companions saw the light but could not understand the voice. Chapter nine says they heard the voice, and the two are read together as hearing a sound without making out words. Greek grammar allows the distinction.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Paul, speaking of his deeds, says that his companions saw the light there some time ago, yet that they did not drink in the voice with their ears; but then, at the time when he fell blind, his companions are said also to have heard …
"And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me." But in another place he says, "Hearing the voice, but seeing no man." It is not at variance: no, there were two voices, that of Paul and the Lord's voice: in that place, the writer means Paul's voice; as in fact Paul here adds, "The voice of Him that spake unto me. Seeing no man:" he does not say, that they did not see the light: but, "no man," that is, "none speaking." And good reason that it should be so, since it behooved him alone to have that voice vouchsafed unto him. For if indeed they also had heard it, the miracle would not have been so great. Since persons of grosser minds are persuaded more by sight, those saw the light, and were afraid. In fact, neither did the light take so much effect on them, as it did on him: for it even blinded his eyes: by that which befel him, God gave them also an opportunity of recovering their sight, if they had the mind. It seems to me at least, that their not believing was providentially ordered, that they might be unexceptionable witnesses.
The Medieval Church3 voices
This was done with purpose, since he alone was to hear that voice. And since rather ordinary people trust sight more, those who were with Saul only "saw the light and were filled with fear; but did not hear the voice of Him who spoke …
And those who were with me indeed saw the light. And in Greek it is added more: And they were afraid.
They did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. Above, the story narrates about this vision that his companions stood stupefied, hearing indeed the voice, but seeing no one. Hence it is inferred that they heard the sound of a confused voice, …
1 more voice on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they that were with me saw indeed the light,.... For it shone about them, as well as Saul: and were afraid; the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions, have not this clause; but it stands in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; the suddenness, greatness, and extraordinariness of the light surprised them, for it was even miraculous: but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me: they heard the voice of Saul, but not the voice of Christ; at least they did not hear it so as to understand it; See Gill on Act 9:7.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | Those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| ἐμοὶ | emoi | me myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ὄντες | ontes | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| φῶς | phos | light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| ἐθεάσαντο | etheasanto | beheld | G2300 → | 20 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| φωνὴν | phonen | voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἤκουσαν | ekousan | did they hear | G191 → | 425 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαλοῦντός | lalountos | speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| μοι. | moi | to me. | G3165 → | 1936 times |
οἱThose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
ἐμοὶme myself
emoiG1473 →839 times
ὄντεςbeing
ontesG1510 →2333 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
φῶςlight
phosG5457 →72 times
ἐθεάσαντοbeheld
etheasantoG2300 →20 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
φωνὴνvoice
phonenG5456 →139 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἤκουσανdid they hear
ekousanG191 →425 times
τοῦthe [One]
touG3588 →19766 times
λαλοῦντόςspeaking
lalountosG2980 →294 times
μοι.to me.
moiG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 9:7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
it leads to
- Daniel 10:7
Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.
- Acts 26:13–14
About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.
- John 12:29
The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.
- Matthew 24:40–41
Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
- Daniel 10:7
Through
Daniel 10:7Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.
it leads to
- Acts 9:7
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
- Genesis 3:10
“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
- Acts 9:7
Through
Acts 26:13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:23
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- Revelation 1:16
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
- Revelation 21:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Arator, ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2; Bede, Retractions on Acts; Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TEN; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 47; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.