Acts 9:30
in Acts 9When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Cæsarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
KJV
Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
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This verse in Acts 9
Commentary
10 notes on this verse"Brethren, having learned of this, sent him off to Caesarea." Frightened by what had happened to Stephen, they send him to Caesarea, and then also to Tarsus, so that he might both teach there and be safe, as in his own homeland, because the Jews …
This site's exposition
moving about freely in Jerusalem
on Acts 9:28-30
Saul debated with the Grecian Jews, the Greek-speaking Jews of the synagogues Stephen had faced in 6:9, and they tried to kill him. The brothers sent him by Caesarea to Tarsus, his home city, a period Galatians 1:21 describes more fully than Acts.
This site's exposition
sent him off to Tarsus
John Gill takes this Caesarea to be Caesarea Philippi, while Adam Clarke follows Calmet in reading it as Caesarea of Palestine. Tarsus was Saul's home city in Cilicia. Galatians 1:21 records that he preached in that region, as Albert Barnes notes.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"To Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus:" so that, I suppose, he did not continue his journey by land, but sailed the rest of it. And this departure is Providentially ordered, that he might preach there also: and so likewise were the plots against him ordered by God's Providence, and his coming to Jerusalem, that the story about him might no longer be disbelieved.
For it says, "When the brethren were aware of this, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus," at the same time to preach, and likely to be more in safety, as being in his own country. But observe, I pray you, how far it is from being the case that everything is done by miraculous grace; how, on the contrary, God does in many things leave them to manage for themselves by their own wisdom and in a human way; so to cut off the excuse of idle people: for if it was so in the case of Paul, much more in theirs.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he spoke and disputed against the Greeks, but they sought to kill him. When the brethren knew of it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. For Tarsus is a city of Cilicia, and Caesarea Philippi is also a …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Which when the brethren knew,.... When the members of the church heard of it, by some means or another: they brought him down to Caesarea; not that which was before called Strato's tower, the same as in Act 8:40 but Caesarea Philippi, mentioned in Mat 16:13 the Syriac version adds, "by night", and some copies, "and sent him forth to Tarsus"; a city of Cilicia, his own native place, where he might be more safe, and also useful among his friends and acquaintance; Gal 1:21.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They brought him down to Caesarea - Calmet contends that this was Caesarea of Palestine, and not Caesarea Philippi; it being his opinion, and indeed that of others, that where this word occurs without any addition, in the New Testament, Caesarea of Palestine is meant, and not Caesarea Philippi. See on Act 8:40 (note). Sent him forth to Tarsus - This was his own city; and it was right that he should proclaim to his own countrymen and relatives that Gospel through which he was become wise to salvation.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
As this was his first visit to his native city since his conversion, so it is not certain that he ever was there again. It probably was now that he became the instrument of gathering into the fold of Christ those "kinsmen," that "sister," and perhaps her "son," of whom mention is made in Ac 23:16, &c.;
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
To Cesarea - See the notes on Act 8:40. And sent him forth to Tarsus - This was his native city. See the notes on Act 9:11. It was in Cilicia, where Paul doubtless preached the gospel, Gal 1:21, “Afterward I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.”
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐπιγνόντες | epignontes | Having known [it] | G1921 → | 44 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοὶ | adelphoi | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| κατήγαγον | kategagon | brought down | G2609 → | 9 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Καισάρειαν | kaisareian | Caesarea | G2542 → | 17 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξαπέστειλαν | exapesteilan | sent away | G1821 → | 12 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ταρσόν.¶ | tarson | Tarsus. | G5019 → | 3 times |
ἐπιγνόντεςHaving known [it]
epignontesG1921 →44 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοὶbrothers
adelphoiG80 →343 times
κατήγαγονbrought down
kategagonG2609 →9 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ΚαισάρειανCaesarea
kaisareianG2542 →17 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξαπέστειλανsent away
exapesteilanG1821 →12 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
Ταρσόν.¶Tarsus.
tarsonG5019 →3 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 9:11“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
it leads to
- Acts 21:39
But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 22:3
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just…
- Luke 11:9–10
So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Acts 11:25
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
- Luke 18:7–14
Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help?
- Acts 21:39
Through
Acts 8:40But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
it leads to
- Acts 21:8
Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven.
- Acts 21:8
Through
Galatians 1:21Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
it leads to
- Acts 15:41
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
- Acts 15:41
Through
Acts 11:25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
it leads to
- Acts 9:11
“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
- Acts 9:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Retractions on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 21; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.