Acts 22:7 kjv
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 22:7 nkjv
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
Acts 22:7 niv
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
Acts 22:7 esv
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
Acts 22:7 nlt
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
Acts 22 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 9:4 | "he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul..." | First account of Paul's fall and call |
| Acts 26:14 | "we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me, Saul..." | Third account, similar wording, adding "goads" |
| Zec 2:8 | "he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." | God's personal identification with His people |
| Matt 25:40 | "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." | Jesus identifying with His suffering followers |
| Matt 25:45 | "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." | Inverse, rejection of least is rejection of Christ |
| Acts 7:58 | "and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul." | Saul's earlier complicity in Stephen's persecution |
| 1 Tim 1:13 | "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious..." | Paul's own confession of his former actions |
| Gal 1:13 | "how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:" | Paul's zeal in persecuting the church |
| Php 3:6 | "Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness..." | Paul's pre-conversion religious fervor |
| Isa 6:5 | "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips..." | Humbling response to a divine encounter |
| Eze 1:28 | "...And when I saw it, I fell upon my face..." | Prophets falling prostrate before divine glory |
| Dan 10:9 | "Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice... then was I in a deep sleep on my face..." | Daniel's overwhelming reaction to heavenly vision |
| Rev 1:17 | "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead." | John's prostration before the glorified Christ |
| Exo 3:4 | "And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses..." | Repetitive divine call, often signifies intimacy/urgency |
| Gen 22:11 | "And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham..." | Similar repeated address for divine command |
| Lk 10:41 | "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things..." | Jesus' gentle yet emphatic address |
| Lk 22:31 | "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:" | Warning/urgency conveyed through repeated name |
| Psa 18:28 | "For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness." | God illuminating and transforming individuals |
| Psa 105:15 | "Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." | God protecting His chosen ones |
| Gen 32:25 | "And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him." | Physical impact of divine encounter |
| Hos 6:1 | "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up." | Divine tearing before healing; judgment precedes grace |
| Jer 1:4-5 | "Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee..." | Divine knowledge and call prior to human action |
| Isa 49:1 | "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb..." | Foreknowledge and calling |
Acts 22 verses
Acts 22 7 Meaning
Acts 22:7 describes the pivotal moment in Saul's (Paul's) conversion on the road to Damascus. As he journeyed to persecute believers, he was suddenly struck down and heard the resurrected Jesus' voice, personally confronting him. The verse encapsulates his physical fall and the Lord's direct, probing question, revealing that persecution against His followers is persecution against Him personally. It signifies the commencement of Saul's radical encounter with divine authority and grace, leading to his profound transformation.
Acts 22 7 Context
Acts 22:7 is part of Paul's impassioned defense before a Jewish mob in Jerusalem. After being arrested in the Temple (Acts 21), Paul uses the opportunity to recount his dramatic conversion experience. He highlights his zealous Jewish background and the extraordinary circumstances that led him to follow Christ, intending to justify his mission to the Gentiles. This account is the second of three detailed descriptions of Paul's conversion in Acts (Acts 9, 22, 26). The preceding verses (22:1-6) establish Paul's credibility by detailing his impeccable Jewish credentials, his strict Pharisaic upbringing, and his initial fierce persecution of Christians, thus setting the stage for the profound and unexpected encounter on the Damascus road. Historically and culturally, Saul was acting as an agent of the Sanhedrin, upholding Jewish law against what was perceived as a heretical sect, "the Way." His actions were rooted in intense religious zeal, aiming to stamp out this nascent movement.
Acts 22 7 Word analysis
- And I fell: (kai epesa - καὶ ἔπεσα) The Greek word epesa (from piptō) denotes a forceful fall, not a gentle descent. It signifies a profound humbling and an overwhelming impact, physically unable to withstand a divine presence. This reflects utter surrender and a loss of control, consistent with biblical accounts of encounters with the divine (e.g., Eze 1:28, Dan 10:9).
- unto the ground: (eis to edaphos - εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος) This specifies the immediate, physical consequence of the encounter, emphasizing his prostration in the dust, a symbol of submission and humility before God. It implies the suddenness and power of the event.
- and heard: (kai ēkousa - καὶ ἤκουσα) Indicates that the perception was auditory, distinguishing it from an inner conviction. Paul distinctly registered an external sound.
- a voice: (phōnēn - φωνὴν) The voice carries authority and implies direct communication, rather than a mere sound. It is unequivocally perceived as a distinct, personal address, coming from a higher source.
- saying unto me: The direct, personal nature of the communication underscores that this message was specifically for Saul, intended to challenge his personal actions and beliefs.
- Saul, Saul: (Saoul Saoul - Σαούλ Σαούλ) The repetition of the name is an emphatic rhetorical device in the Bible. It signifies urgency, intimacy, and often a direct, crucial divine calling or warning (e.g., Gen 22:11, Exo 3:4, Lk 10:41). Here, it signals a divine arrest and a deep, personal engagement with Saul's identity before his conversion.
- why: (ti - τί) A profound, probing question. It demands a justification for Saul's actions, yet implies that no valid reason exists. It challenges his motivations and the ultimate target of his misguided zeal.
- persecutest thou: (diōkeis - διώκεις) From diōkō, meaning to pursue, chase, or drive away with hostility. It describes relentless, violent opposition and harassment, emphasizing the intense, destructive nature of Saul's actions against believers.
- me?: (me - με) The most critical theological word in the verse. Jesus directly identifies with His followers. Persecuting the nascent church (the body of believers) is revealed to be a direct assault on Jesus Himself. This established the deep solidarity between Christ and His church, later developed in Paul's epistles (1 Cor 12:27, Col 1:24).
Words-group analysis:
- "And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice": This sequence vividly portrays the sudden and overwhelming nature of the divine encounter. It is a physical submission followed by an auditory revelation, initiating the process of spiritual transformation. The physical falling highlights his humanity and vulnerability before the divine power.
- "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?": This question forms the crux of the encounter. The repeated name provides a deeply personal and urgent call. The question of "why" demands accountability, while "persecutest thou me?" reveals the startling theological truth: persecuting the church is persecuting Christ himself. This moment shifts Saul's entire understanding of who he was fighting.
Acts 22 7 Bonus section
The accounts of Paul's conversion, including this one, consistently portray a blinding light from heaven before the physical fall and auditory experience (Acts 22:6). While this specific verse doesn't mention the light, it is part of the immediate, overwhelming context. Furthermore, the divine question, "why persecutest thou me?", in the fuller accounts (Acts 9:5, Acts 26:14), is immediately followed by Jesus adding, "It is hard for thee to kick against the goads." This idiomatic expression implies futile and self-destructive resistance against an irresistible force or a divine prompting, suggesting Saul was perhaps already struggling subconsciously with his mission despite his outward zeal, possibly tormented by the memory of Stephen or the compelling truth of Christ's followers.
Acts 22 7 Commentary
Acts 22:7 records the shattering, divine intervention that utterly reorients Saul's life. His dramatic fall symbolizes his unmade condition before the holy, living Christ. The voice, directly addressing him by his former name, signifies the Lord's intimate knowledge and sovereign claim over him, even in his opposition. The crucial revelation is Christ's direct identification with His persecuted church ("why persecutest thou me?"), revealing the corporate unity of Christ and believers. This transformed Saul from Christ's most zealous adversary into His most fervent apostle, founded on the foundational truth that assaults against believers are assaults against Christ Himself. The verse captures the abrupt cessation of Saul's old life and the inauguration of his new identity.