Acts 26:13
in Acts 26About 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.
KJV
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAt midday, O king,.... So in Act 12:6. This circumstance is omitted in Act 9:3. King Agrippa is called upon by the apostle, to excite his attention to what he was about to relate, it being very wonderful, and of great importance. I saw in the way; that is, to Damascus, when near the city; a light from heaven; which descended from thence: above the brightness of the sun; it was a greater light than that, or otherwise it could not have been discerned at noon, or have had the effect it had upon Saul, and his company.
This site's exposition
with the authority and commission
on Acts 26:12-14
About noon on the Damascus road, a light brighter than the sun shone around Paul. Only this account says all fell to the ground. Here the voice speaks in Hebrew and adds the proverb about kicking against the goads, a figure from Greek literature.
This site's exposition
brighter than the sun
Paul addresses the king by title. Wesley and Gill read it as a call for his full attention at the height of the story. Theophylact explains the comparison: the sun is the brightest thing the senses know, so Paul uses it as the nearest likeness for a greater light.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"brighter than the sun." He then likens it to that which among sensible things is most luminous; since that light could not be equated with the light of Jesus, which is far greater, he speaks in this way, so that human hearing may receive it, …
Then again the witnesses, those who were with him: next he shows what just cause he had to be persuaded, both from the light, and from the prophets, and from the results, and from the things which have now taken place. See accordingly, how both from the prophets, and from these particulars, he confirms the proof to them. For that he may not seem to be broaching some novelty, although he had great things to say, yet he again takes refuge with the prophets, and puts this as a question for discussion.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Reporting about a radiance brighter than sensible light and considering it impossible to liken the light of Jesus to sunlight, Paul, in order to convey the phenomenon in a way that human hearing can receive, says: this light far surpasses sunlight.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
O King - Most seasonably, in the height of the narration, does he thus fix the king's attention. Above the brightness of the sun - And no marvel. For what is the brightness of this created sun, to the Sun of righteousness, the brightness of the Father's glory?
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | At day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| μέσης | meses | mid | G3319 → | 56 times |
| κατὰ | kata | on | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁδὸν | hodon | road | G3598 → | 101 times |
| εἶδον, | eidon | I saw, | G1492 → | 374 times |
| βασιλεῦ, | basileu | O king, | G935 → | 114 times |
| οὐρανόθεν | ouranothen | from heaven | G3771 → | |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | above | G5228 → | 155 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαμπρότητα | lamproteta | brightness | G2987 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡλίου | heliou | sun | G2246 → | 32 times |
| περιλάμψαν | perilampsan | having shone around | G4034 → | |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| φῶς | phos | a light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| ἐμοὶ | emoi | me myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| πορευομένους. | poreuomenous | journeying. | G4198 → | 147 times |
ἡμέραςAt day
hemerasG2250 →389 times
μέσηςmid
mesesG3319 →56 times
κατὰon
kataG2596 →468 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὁδὸνroad
hodonG3598 →101 times
εἶδον,I saw,
eidonG1492 →374 times
βασιλεῦ,O king,
basileuG935 →114 times
οὐρανόθενfrom heaven
ouranothenG3771 →
ὑπὲρabove
huperG5228 →155 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
λαμπρότηταbrightness
lamprotetaG2987 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἡλίουsun
heliouG2246 →32 times
περιλάμψανhaving shone around
perilampsanG4034 →
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
φῶςa light
phosG5457 →72 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
ἐμοὶme myself
emoiG1473 →839 times
πορευομένους.journeying.
poreuomenousG4198 →147 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
Revelation 21:23And 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.
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:19–20
No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your…
- Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and…
- Isaiah 60:19–20
Through
Revelation 1:16He 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.
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Revelation 2:12
To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
- Revelation 2:16
Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
- Revelation 19:15
And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath…
- Ephesians 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- Hebrews 4:12
Through
Matthew 17:2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
it leads to
- Psalms 104:2
He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,
- Psalms 104:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.