Acts 22:9 kjv
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Acts 22:9 nkjv
"And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
Acts 22:9 niv
My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
Acts 22:9 esv
Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
Acts 22:9 nlt
The people with me saw the light but didn't understand the voice speaking to me.
Acts 22 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 22:9 | "And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me." | Acts 9:7 |
| Acts 26:14 | "And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’" | Acts 26:14, Isa 45:2, John 18:37 |
| 1 Cor 14:2 | "For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." | 1 Cor 14:2 |
| John 12:30 | "Jesus cried out and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake." | John 12:30, Ex 19:9 |
| 2 Cor 4:3 | "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing," | 2 Cor 4:3 |
| Matt 13:11 | "He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given." | Matt 13:11, Mark 4:11 |
| Luke 8:10 | "And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘seeing they may not perceive, and hearing they may not understand.’" | Luke 8:10 |
| Acts 9:3 | "Then he rode along and came near Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him." | Acts 9:3 |
| Acts 9:17 | "And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road where you were coming, has sent me, that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." | Acts 9:17, Acts 22:14 |
| Gal 1:16 | "to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood," | Gal 1:16 |
| Ps 115:5 | "They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes they have, but do not see;" | Ps 115:5, Ps 135:16 |
| Jer 5:21 | "‘Hear this now, O foolish people, lacking understanding, who have eyes but see not, and who have ears but do not hear." | Jer 5:21 |
| Isa 6:9 | "And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep hearing, but do not understand; Keep seeing, but do not perceive." | Isa 6:9, Matt 13:14 |
| John 1:5 | "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." | John 1:5 |
| 1 Cor 1:18 | "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." | 1 Cor 1:18 |
| Eph 4:18 | "having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;" | Eph 4:18 |
| 1 Thess 5:4 | "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief." | 1 Thess 5:4 |
| 2 Pet 3:5 | "For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and an earth standing out of water and in the water," | 2 Pet 3:5 |
| Rev 21:3 | "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." | Rev 21:3 |
| 1 John 3:2 | "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." | 1 John 3:2 |
Acts 22 verses
Acts 22 9 Meaning
The men who accompanied Paul on his journey to Jerusalem saw the blinding light and heard the voice, but they did not understand the words spoken by the voice. They heard a sound, but lacked the spiritual discernment to comprehend Jesus' specific message to Paul. This highlights the difference between merely experiencing a supernatural event and truly understanding its divine revelation.
Acts 22 9 Context
This verse is part of Paul's defense before the crowd in Jerusalem, recounted in Acts chapter 22. He is recounting his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. The specific event described here, happening during the same phenomenon, involved the physical companions of Saul (Paul) as he traveled. They witnessed the external manifestation of God's power—the light and the commotion—but they did not have the spiritual capacity or the divine purpose to understand the message conveyed. This stands in contrast to Paul's own transformative experience, where he heard and understood the words of Jesus, leading to his immediate spiritual awakening and subsequent mission. The primary purpose of Paul recounting this is to authenticate his apostleship and the divine origin of his commission, showing that his calling was direct from Christ.
Acts 22 9 Word Analysis
- kai (καὶ): And. A conjunctive particle connecting phrases or sentences.
- hoi (οἱ): The. Definite article, plural. Referring to the men.
- sun (σὺν): With. A preposition indicating accompaniment.
- me (μοὶ): Me. Dative pronoun. Referring to Paul.
- ontes (ὄντες): Being. Present participle of "eimi" (to be). Indicates their presence and state.
- to (τὸ): The. Definite article, neuter singular. Referring to the light.
- phos (φῶς): Light. Refers to the supernatural radiance. Signifies divine presence and revelation. (John 1:4-9)
- te (τε): And. An enclitic conjunction.
- efobethēsan (ἐφοβήθησαν): They were afraid. Aorist passive indicative of "phobeomai" (to fear). They experienced fear due to the overwhelming, unnatural phenomenon.
- de (δὲ): But. A disjunctive particle, contrasting the companions' experience with Paul's.
- ou (οὐ): Not. Particle of negation.
- ēkousan (ἤκουσαν): They heard. Aorist active indicative of "akouō" (to hear). Indicates an incomplete hearing, lacking comprehension.
- tēn (τὴν): The. Definite article, feminine accusative.
- phōnēn (φωνὴν): Voice. The sound uttered.
- tou (τοῦ): Of the. Genitive definite article.
- lalountos (λαλοῦντος): Speaking. Present participle of "lalēō" (to speak).
- moi (μοὶ): To me. Dative pronoun, indirectly referring to Paul as the recipient of the spoken words.
Group Analysis:
- "hoi sun emoi ontes" (οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ ὄντες) - "those who were with me": This phrase highlights that others were physically present but not spiritually privy to the full revelation.
- "ta men phos etheōsanto" (τὸ δὲ φῶς ἐθεώρησαν) - "saw the light": A clear visual experience, confirming the external reality of the event. "Etheōrēsan" implies more than just seeing; it suggests beholding or witnessing.
- "efobēthēsan de" (ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ) - "but they were afraid": Their response was fear, a natural reaction to the unknown and powerful. This contrasts with Paul's fear leading to inquiry.
- "ou ēkousan tēn phōnēn tou lalountos emoi" (οὐ ἤκουσαν τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ λαλοῦντος ἐμοὶ) - "did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me": This is crucial. They perceived sound but not the distinct, understandable message. The focus is on the lack of spiritual apprehension of the specific words from Christ. This contrasts with their physical seeing and hearing, underscoring the spiritual dimension of communication.
Acts 22 9 Bonus Section
This incident demonstrates that external signs, while powerful, are insufficient for true spiritual understanding. The understanding of Christ’s voice was granted specifically to Paul, marking him for a unique purpose. This relates to the parable of the sower where some seeds fell on the path and were eaten by birds, symbolizing those who hear the word but do not understand, with the evil one taking it away (Matthew 13:4, 19). The companions heard the sound but did not grasp the divine "content," similar to people hearing the gospel but not truly grasping its salvific meaning because their hearts are not prepared. This event foreshadows how Paul's ministry would reveal the true nature of Christ’s message to the Gentiles, a message not immediately grasped by all who witnessed its beginnings.
Acts 22 9 Commentary
The verse underscores a divine principle: not everyone who witnesses a supernatural event is necessarily receiving the same level of revelation. Paul’s companions saw the blinding light and felt the divine presence, leading to their fear. However, they did not comprehend the specific words Jesus spoke directly to Paul, which were revelatory and commissioning in nature. This shows that spiritual understanding is a gift and often a result of direct divine interaction and personal surrender, as demonstrated by Paul’s subsequent acceptance of Christ. Their fear was a carnal reaction, whereas Paul’s experience led to obedience and transformation. This echoes instances where God’s presence was felt but not fully understood by observers, such as at the Transfiguration where Peter, James, and John saw Moses and Elijah, but it took explanation for them to fully grasp the significance.