Acts 22:7
in Acts 22I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
KJV
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
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This verse in Acts 22
Commentary
6 notes on this verseSaul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? In Greek, in this place as well it is added: It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
This site's exposition
a bright light from heaven
on Acts 22:6-8
The voice says, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me, and the speaker names himself Jesus of Nazareth. The doubled name is the form of address the Old Testament records for Abraham, Moses, and Samuel.
This site's exposition
Saul, Saul
John Gill notes that his companions fell too. Bede reports Greek copies that add here the saying about kicking against the goads, which stands in every copy at Acts 26:14. Matthew Henry marks this voice from heaven as the first moment Saul thought of Jesus with awe.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And I answered, Who are Thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou persecutest." Well is the name of the city (Nazareth) also added, that they might recognize the Person: moreover, the Apostles also spoke thus. And Himself bore witness, that they were persecuting Him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And I fell unto the ground,.... And so did those that were with him, Act 26:14. And heard a voice, saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? See Gill on Act 9:4.
), and all that were with him, ch. xxvi. They could not deny but that surely the Lord was in this light. It was a voice from heaven that first begat in him awful thoughts of Jesus Christ, of whom before he had had nothing but hateful spiteful thoughts.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔπεσά | epesa | I fell | G4098 → | 90 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔδαφος | edaphos | ground | G1475 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἤκουσα | ekousa | heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| φωνῆς | phones | a voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| λεγούσης | legouses | saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| μοι· | moi | to me; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| Σαοὺλ | saoul | Saul | G4549 → | 9 times |
| Σαούλ, | saoul | Saul, | G4549 → | 9 times |
| τί | ti | why | G5101 → | 563 times |
| με | me | Me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| διώκεις; | diokeis | persecute you? | G1377 → | 45 times |
ἔπεσάI fell
epesaG4098 →90 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἔδαφοςground
edaphosG1475 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤκουσαheard
ekousaG191 →425 times
φωνῆςa voice
phonesG5456 →139 times
λεγούσηςsaying
legousesG3004 →1325 times
μοι·to me;
moiG3165 →1936 times
ΣαοὺλSaul
saoulG4549 →9 times
Σαούλ,Saul,
saoulG4549 →9 times
τίwhy
tiG5101 →563 times
μεMe
meG3165 →1936 times
διώκεις;persecute you?
diokeisG1377 →45 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
Matthew 25:45Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:13
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
- Proverbs 17:5
He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
- Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- Matthew 25:40
And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
- Acts 9:5
“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.
- Proverbs 21:13
Through
1 Timothy 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
it leads to
- Acts 8:3
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
- Hebrews 6:4–8
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Acts 8:3
Through
Jeremiah 2:9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:35–36
And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
- Ezekiel 20:35–36
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Bede, Retractions on Acts; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 47; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.