And I said, who art thou, Lord? and he said ,.... Or "the Lord said", as the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions read, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest ; the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, "Jesus of Nazareth"; See Gill on Acts 9:5 . read more
But rise and stand upon thy feet ,.... This, and what follows in this and the two next verses, are not in any of the former accounts; and these words are used not only because Saul was fallen to the earth, and are an encouragement to rise up, and stand corporeally, but to take heart, and be of good cheer; for though he had acted so vile and cruel a part by Christ, and his people, yet he had designs of grace, and good will to him; and this appearance was not for his destruction, but for his... read more
Delivering thee from the people ,.... That is, the people of the Jews, as they are distinguished from the Gentiles; and so the Syriac version, and two of Beza's copies, and two of Stephens's, read; for the Lord knew, that as soon as ever Saul was converted and professed his name, and preached his Gospel, the people of the Jews would immediately become his implacable enemies, and seek to destroy him; wherefore he promises him before hand deliverance, and security from them: and from the... read more
To open their eyes ,.... The eyes of their understanding, which were shut, and darkened, and blind: one copy reads, "the eyes of the blind"; and the Ethiopic version renders it, "the eyes of their heart"; and to have them opened, is to have them enlightened, to see their lost state and condition by nature, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the plague of their own hearts, the impurity of nature, the impotence of man to that which is spiritually good, the imperfection of obedience, and the... read more
Whereupon, O King Agrippa ,.... Having been favoured with this illustrious appearance of the Lord and with this declaration and commission from him: I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision ; to Christ himself, who appeared from heaven in so much light and glory, and spoke unto him, and appointed him what he should be, and do, and declared what use he should be of: he did not disbelieve what Christ said, nor was he disobedient to the orders he gave, but immediately set about the... read more
Many of the saints - From what is said in this verse, it seems that Paul, before his conversion, was invested with much power: he imprisoned the Christians; punished many in various synagogues; compelled them to blaspheme - to renounce, and, perhaps, to execrate Christ, in order to save their lives; and gave his voice, exerted all his influence and authority, against them, in order that they might be put to death; and from this it would seem that there were other persons put to death besides... read more
Being exceedingly mad against them - Only a madman will persecute another because of his differing from him in religious opinion; and the fiercest persecutor is he who should be deemed the most furious madman. Unto strange cities - Places out of the jurisdiction of the Jews, such as Damascus, which he immediately mentions. read more
Whereupon as I went to Damascus - See the whole account of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus explained at large, in the notes on Acts 9:2 ; (note), etc. read more
But rise, etc. - The particulars mentioned here, and in the two following verses, are not given in Acts 9:1-9 , nor in Acts 22:6-11 , where he gives an account of his conversion. He has detailed the different circumstances of that important event, as he saw it necessary; and perhaps there were several others which then took place, that he had no opportunity of mentioning, because there was nothing in succeeding occurrences which rendered it necessary to produce them. To make thee a... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:14
And when we were all fallen to the earth ,.... Saul, and the men that were with him, for fear of the divine Majesty, who by this extraordinary light was thought to be present: the other narratives only relate Saul's falling to the earth; how this is to be reconciled to their standing speechless, in Acts 9:7 ; see Gill on Acts 9:7 . I heard a voice speaking unto me , &c.; See Gill on Acts 10:4 . See Gill on Acts 10:5 . read more