Acts 26 15

Acts 26:15 kjv

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

Acts 26:15 nkjv

So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Acts 26:15 niv

"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' " 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.

Acts 26:15 esv

And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

Acts 26:15 nlt

"'Who are you, lord?' I asked. "And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.

Acts 26 verses

Acts 26 15 Meaning

This verse marks the pivotal moment in Paul's conversion on the Damascus road, as he recounts it before King Agrippa. It encapsulates Jesus's divine self-revelation, identifying Himself directly to His chief persecutor, Saul (Paul). Crucially, Jesus establishes a profound and personal unity between Himself and His followers, declaring that any harm inflicted upon them is directly inflicted upon Him. Paul's initial question "Who are you, Lord?" acknowledges authority, while Jesus's reply unequivocally declares His identity as the persecuted one, the very Messiah Paul vehemently opposed.

Acts 26 15 Context

Acts 26:15 is an excerpt from Paul's defense before King Agrippa II, his sister Bernice, and Governor Festus in Caesarea (Acts 25:23-26:32). Paul, imprisoned for his Christian faith, recounts his dramatic conversion experience on the road to Damascus as the central evidence of his innocence and the divine origin of his mission. This account is the third iteration within the Book of Acts (after Acts 9 and 22), tailored here to impress a gentile king and Roman governor with the undeniable truth of his encounter with the resurrected Jesus. Paul emphasizes his former zealous persecution of Christians, making the intervention of Jesus and his subsequent transformation even more striking. He portrays himself not as a criminal, but as a divinely appointed messenger whose actions flow directly from this encounter and a subsequent heavenly vision. The historical context includes the Roman judicial system's involvement with Jewish internal affairs, Agrippa's knowledge of Jewish customs, and Paul's desire to persuade his powerful audience of the validity of Christianity.

Acts 26 15 Word analysis

• And I said: Paul's response to the overwhelming light and voice. It's a natural reaction to divine confrontation. The Greek is kagō eipa (κἀγὼ εἶπα), meaning "and I said."
• 'Who are you, Lord?': This question, Tis ei, kurie? (Τίς εἶ, κύριε;), marks a turning point. Paul (Saul) has encountered a divine manifestation he cannot explain, but he implicitly acknowledges authority with "Lord" (kurie). While initially possibly a polite address or a respectful acknowledgement of an unknown superior being, the subsequent revelation solidifies its divine weight. He doesn't just ask "who," but acknowledges an imposing power.
• And the Lord said: Ho de Kurios eipen (Ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν). This repeats the term "Lord" used by Paul, but now applies it directly to Jesus, confirming the deity Paul intuitively recognized. It transitions from Paul's question to Christ's definitive answer.
• 'I am Jesus,': Ego eimi Iēsous (Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς). This is the profound self-identification.
  • 'I am' (Ego eimi): This phrase is highly significant. It echoes the divine name of God revealed to Moses (Exo 3:14, "I AM WHO I AM") and is a repeated self-declaration by Jesus throughout John's Gospel (e.g., "I am the bread of life," "I am the light of the world"). In a Jewish context, it carries immense theological weight, claiming divine identity. Jesus here reveals Himself not merely as a prophet or a martyr, but as the living God.
  • 'Jesus' (Iēsous): This personal name, meaning "The LORD saves," grounds the divine revelation in the specific person known to His followers and crucified in Jerusalem. It links the glorious being to the historical figure.
• 'whom you are persecuting.': hon sy diōkeis (ὃν σὺ διώκεις). This phrase delivers the core, shocking truth to Saul.
  • 'whom' (hon): Direct object, indicating personal involvement.
  • 'you are persecuting' (sy diōkeis): This is a present active indicative verb in Greek, signifying continuous action. It implies an ongoing, personal, and zealous pursuit of harm. The revelation is that Saul's persecution of the disciples (who are often called "the Way") is understood by Jesus as direct persecution of Himself. This unity between Christ and His body, the church, is a foundational truth for Christian theology. It utterly reframes Saul's mission.

Words-group analysis:

• "Who are you, Lord?": This question marks a shift from active opposition to curious awe. It acknowledges the divine power but seeks identity. Paul is confronted with a force undeniably superior to himself, initiating the process of humility and surrender.
• "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.": This full statement is Jesus's profound, personal revelation. It establishes His deity through the "I am" declaration, His humanity through the name "Jesus," and the inseparable unity between Himself and His church through the identification of His person with His persecuted followers. This revelation collapses Paul's entire understanding of righteousness and zeal, shifting his target from being against the Messiah to being a zealous servant of the Messiah. It highlights the deeply personal nature of opposition to God, regardless of the perceived justification.

Acts 26 15 Bonus section

The repeated account of Paul's conversion in Acts (chapters 9, 22, and 26) demonstrates its foundational importance for understanding Paul's life and ministry, as well as for the early Christian message. Each retelling slightly adapts details or emphasis for the specific audience, yet the core encounter, Jesus's self-identification, and the shock of persecuting Christ himself remain constant. This verse underscores the radical re-evaluation Paul had to undergo – not merely accepting a new prophet, but confronting the living, divine Christ. This understanding also sets a powerful precedent for future generations: any persecution against God's faithful, even if motivated by what seems righteous, is a direct assault on Jesus Himself, validating the immense value and dignity of every believer as part of His body.

Acts 26 15 Commentary

Acts 26:15 is the electrifying heart of Paul's conversion. It's a divine interrogation and revelation that strips away Paul's former zeal as mere religious error and exposes it as direct antagonism against the living God. Jesus, glorified in light, personally confronts Saul, collapsing his misguided theological framework. The "I am Jesus" statement, loaded with divine implications, declares the Lordship of the one Saul actively sought to eradicate. The astonishing identification, "whom you are persecuting," profoundly establishes the indivisible unity between Christ and His church. This is not just a metaphor; to touch Christ's people is to touch Him directly. For Saul, who believed he was serving God by stamping out the "sect of the Nazarenes," this truth was devastating and utterly reorienting. His very piety had made him God's enemy. This moment transforms a persecutor into an apostle, forever demonstrating God's radical grace to those most opposed to Him and validating the immense spiritual significance of the church.