Acts 22 6

Acts 22:6 kjv

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

Acts 22:6 nkjv

"Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.

Acts 22:6 niv

"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.

Acts 22:6 esv

"As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.

Acts 22:6 nlt

"As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me.

Acts 22 verses

Acts 22 6 Meaning

Acts 22:6 recounts the pivotal moment of Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus as he himself testifies to the Jerusalem crowd. This verse describes the sudden, undeniable, and overwhelming divine intervention experienced at midday: an exceptionally bright, heavenly light that enveloped him. It establishes the immediate and direct, supernaturally initiated encounter that completely changed the trajectory of his life, transitioning him from a zealous persecutor of believers to the foremost apostle to the Gentiles. The unexpected nature and divine origin of this light signify the sovereign hand of God breaking into human history to accomplish His purpose through an unlikely vessel.

Acts 22 6 Context

Acts 22:6 is part of Paul's defense speech delivered to a hostile Jewish crowd in Jerusalem. This is the second of three accounts of his conversion in the book of Acts (the first being Luke's narration in Acts 9, and the third being Paul's testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 26). The specific context here is Paul addressing the very people who were attempting to kill him for allegedly desecrating the temple and teaching against the Law. His purpose is to explain his dramatic shift from being a zealous Pharisee, committed to Jewish tradition and persecution of Christians, to an apostle of Christ. By narrating his conversion, Paul aims to establish that his transformation and subsequent ministry are not of human origin or against the God of Israel, but a direct, undeniable mandate from the divine realm, legitimizing his apostleship in the face of accusation. The setting is volatile, demanding a clear and powerful explanation of his experience.

Acts 22 6 Word analysis

• As I was on my way (πορευομένου δὲ μου - poreuomenou de mou):
  • poreuomenou: Present participle, meaning "going" or "journeying."
  • Significance: Emphasizes Paul's active intent and physical progress towards Damascus for persecution. This was not a passive observation but a targeted mission, making the divine interruption even more striking and direct. It underscores his dedication to his prior cause.
• and drew near to (ἐγγίζοντος τῇ - engizontos tē):
  • engizontos: Present participle, meaning "drawing near" or "approaching."
  • Significance: Pinpoints the exact moment in his journey. He was not yet in Damascus but on the verge of entering, symbolizing the cusp of his old life's mission and the beginning of a radically new one. The interruption came precisely before he could carry out his persecutory intent in that city.
• Damascus (Δαμασκῷ - Damaskō):
  • Significance: A specific and major ancient city, well-known for its trade and historical importance. It was the hub for Jewish communities outside Jerusalem and Paul's target for arresting believers. Naming the city roots the event in a tangible historical setting, countering any notion of a mere subjective experience.
• about noon (περὶ μεσημβρίαν - peri mesēmbrian):
  • peri: Preposition "about" or "around."
  • mesēmbrian: "Midday," literally "mid-south" due to the sun's position.
  • Significance: This is a crucial detail. At midday, the sun is at its zenith, providing maximum natural light and casting minimal shadows. For an "intense light" to be brighter than the already brilliant midday sun makes its supernatural origin unmistakable and profoundly impactful (cf. Acts 26:13). It dispels any possibility of hallucination or a dim, confused vision.
• an intense light (φῶς ἱκανὸν - phōs hikanon):
  • phōs: "Light," physical or spiritual.
  • hikanon: "Sufficient," "ample," "strong," "considerable."
  • Significance: Not just "a light," but one of extraordinary magnitude and power. The term "hikanon" here points to overwhelming sufficiency or intensity, describing a divine luminosity beyond ordinary earthly experience, strongly suggesting the manifest glory of God (a theophany).
• from heaven (ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - ek tou ouranou):
  • ek: Preposition "from" or "out of."
  • ouranou: "Heaven" (the sky, but more commonly the abode of God).
  • Significance: Directly attributes the light's origin to God. It underscores divine agency and dismisses any naturalistic explanation. This is not a lightning strike or a meteor but an intentional emanation from God's presence, lending ultimate authority and veracity to the event.
• suddenly flashed (ἐξαίφνης περιήστραψέν - exaiphnēs periēstrapsen):
  • exaiphnēs: Adverb "suddenly," "unexpectedly."
  • periēstrapsen: Aorist indicative of "peristrapō," "to flash around," "to encircle with light."
  • Significance: Emphasizes the instantaneous, unexpected, and all-encompassing nature of the event. The light did not merely appear in the distance; it "flashed around" him, surrounding and engulfing him completely. This denotes a personal, unavoidable encounter. The suddenness ensures it was not anticipated or manufactured.
• around me (με - me):
  • me: Accusative personal pronoun "me."
  • Significance: Highlights the personal, direct, and inescapable nature of this divine encounter specifically for Saul. He was the focus, confirming God's personal selection and intervention in his life.

Acts 22 6 Bonus section

The consistent details across all three conversion accounts in Acts regarding the time (midday) and the intensity/source (light from heaven, brighter than the sun) are a critical literary and theological device. They strengthen the historical credibility of the event, especially when recounted by Paul himself to skeptical audiences, emphasizing that this was not a faint, ambiguous vision but a blinding, physically disorienting, and profoundly real encounter. This specific verse (Acts 22:6), delivered in Paul's own defense, subtly acts as a polemic against any accusation of self-appointed authority or personal whim in his ministry, grounding his apostolic claim solely in direct divine revelation. The Hebrew concept of "kavod" (glory) often associated with God's visible presence as fire or light would have resonated deeply with the Jewish audience, making the "intense light from heaven" an unambiguous sign of God's active involvement.

Acts 22 6 Commentary

Acts 22:6 is a condensed but potent declaration by Paul regarding the moment God utterly interrupted his life. By recounting this incident, Paul underscores the absolute divine initiative in his conversion. The precise details – midday, near Damascus, intense light from heaven, flashing around him – dismantle any argument that this was a psychological episode or a mere human choice. The midday setting challenges human perception by making any light appearing brighter than the sun undeniably supernatural, reflecting divine glory that is typically too brilliant for human eyes (as later evidenced by his temporary blindness). This "light from heaven" is an echo of Old Testament theophanies where God's presence manifests with overwhelming radiance. For Paul, the one actively persecuting Christ's followers, this dramatic celestial intervention was an unmistakable divine command to halt his current path and accept a new, God-ordained purpose. It forms the authoritative bedrock for his claim of apostolic legitimacy.