Acts 26:12-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 26:12-23

All who believe a God, and have a reverence for his sovereignty, must acknowledge that those who speak and act by his direction, and by warrant from him, are not to be opposed; for that is fighting against God. Now Paul here, by a plain and faithful narrative of matters of fact, makes it out to this august assembly that he had an immediate call from heaven to preach the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world, which was the thing that exasperated the Jews against him. He here shows, I. That he... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 26:12-18

26:12-18 "When, in these circumstances, I was on my way to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, as I was on the road at midday, I saw, your Majesty. a light from heaven, more brilliant than the sun, shining round about me and my fellow-travellers. When we had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the spikes.' I said, 'Who are you, sir' The Lord replied, 'I... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:12

Whereupon as I went to Damascus ,.... Being intent, upon the above said things, to punish the saints, compel them to blaspheme, imprison them, and even put them to death on account of these things; upon this errand and business he went to Damascus, the chief city of Syria, where he knew there were many that believed in Christ, who had removed from Jerusalem thither, on account of the persecution, or were settled there before: with authority and commission from the chief priests ; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:13

At midday, O king ,.... So in Acts 12:6 . This circumstance is omitted in Acts 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... read more

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:15

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:16

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:17

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 26:18

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 26:12

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

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