Acts 9:3
in Acts 9As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven:
KJV
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
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This verse in Acts 9
Commentary
11 notes on this verseIndeed, when I hear that this man was chosen by the Lord after He had attained His rest in heaven, I feel that a kind of improvidence is imputable to Christ, for not knowing before that this man was necessary to Him; and because He thought that he must be added to the apostolic body in the way of a fortuitous encounter rather than a deliberate selection; by necessity (so to speak), and not voluntary choice, although the members of the apostolate had been duly ordained, and were now dismissed to their several missions.
This site's exposition
a light from heaven flashed around
on Acts 9:3-5
Near Damascus a light from heaven flashed around Saul, and he fell to the ground and heard a voice. The voice asks why Saul persecutes him, so the risen Christ counts the harm done to his disciples as done to himself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. Why not in Jerusalem? why not in Damascus? That there might be no opening for different persons to relate the occurrence in different ways, but that he alone should be the authentic narrator, he that went for this purpose.
The vision does not occur in a city, but on the road in quiet, so that it might not be possible for others to relate otherwise what happened about him, but that he himself would be credible to relate that he had seen the vision …
The Medieval Church1 voice
The vision occurred not in the city, but on the road and in stillness, because the crowd would not have believed, but would only have laughed, just as in the case of Jesus Christ, those who heard the voice from heaven "said that it thundered" …
The Reformation1 voice
In craving epistles of the high priest, he ran headlong against Christ willingly; and now he is enforced to obey whether he will or no. This is surely the most excellent mercy of God, in that that man is reclaimed unto salvation contrary to the purpose of his mind, whom so great a heat carried headlong into destruction.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And suddenly - When God suddenly and vehemently attacks a sinner, it is the highest act of mercy. So Saul, when his rage was come to the height, is taught not to breathe slaughter.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And as he journeyed - On his way, or while he was traveling. The place where this occurred is not known. Irby and Mangles say it is “outside the eastern gate.” In the Boat and Caravan it is described as about a mile from the town, and near the Christian burying-ground which belongs to the Armenians. All that we know of it is that it was near to Damascus. And suddenly - Like a flash of lightning. There shined round about him ... - The language which is expressed here would be used in describing a flash of lightning.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Events which are the turning points in one's history so imprint themselves upon the memory that circumstances the most trifling in themselves acquire by connection with them something of their importance, and are recalled with inexpressible interest. suddenly--At what time of day, it is not said; for artless simplicity reigns here.
Suddenly there shined round about him - This might have been an extraordinary flash of the electric fluid, accompanied with thunder, with which God chose to astonish and confound Saul and his company; but so modified it as to prevent it from striking them dead. Thunder would naturally follow such a large quantity of this fluid as appears to have been disengaged at this time; and out of this thunder, or immediately after it, Christ spoke in an awful and distinct voice, which appears to have been understood by Saul only.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πορεύεσθαι | poreuesthai | proceeding | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | it came to pass | G1096 → | 667 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | [as] he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐγγίζειν | engizein | [is] drawing near | G1448 → | 42 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Δαμασκῷ, | damasko | to Damascus, | G1154 → | 15 times |
| ἐξαίφνης | exaiphnes | suddenly | G1810 → | |
| τε | te | also | G5037 → | 213 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περιήστραψεν | periestrapsen | flashed around | G4015 → | |
| φῶς | phos | a light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ· | ouranou | heaven; | G3772 → | 272 times |
ἐνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
πορεύεσθαιproceeding
poreuesthaiG4198 →147 times
ἐγένετοit came to pass
egenetoG1096 →667 times
αὐτὸν[as] he
autonG846 →5565 times
ἐγγίζειν[is] drawing near
engizeinG1448 →42 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
Δαμασκῷ,to Damascus,
damaskoG1154 →15 times
ἐξαίφνηςsuddenly
exaiphnesG1810 →
τεalso
teG5037 →213 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
περιήστραψενflashed around
periestrapsenG4015 →
φῶςa light
phosG5457 →72 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦ·heaven;
ouranouG3772 →272 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
1 Timothy 6:16He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
- 1 John 1:5
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- Psalms 90:2
Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
- 1 Timothy 1:17
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
1 Corinthians 15:8And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 9:1
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?
- 1 Corinthians 9:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies6
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited monarchySaulIsrael's first king, head and shoulders above the people; began in humility, ended in rejection — sparing what God devoted, consul…
- PlaceSyriaDamascusThe Syrian city Saul was travelling to with letters of arrest when the light stopped him on the road; he entered it blind and left…
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 19; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.