Acts 9 20

Acts 9:20 kjv

And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Acts 9:20 nkjv

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Acts 9:20 niv

At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Acts 9:20 esv

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."

Acts 9:20 nlt

And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!"

Acts 9 verses

Acts 9 20 Meaning

Acts 9:20 describes the immediate and profound transformation of Saul, who, after his divine encounter, began proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God in Jewish synagogues. This act signifies his radical conversion from persecutor of Christians to fervent preacher of Christ, boldly asserting the divine nature and messianic identity of Jesus in the very places where he once opposed His followers. It highlights the direct, powerful, and central message of the early Christian gospel as preached by the newly converted Apostle Paul.

Acts 9 20 Context

Acts chapter 9 opens with Saul, a zealous persecutor of believers, obtaining letters to Damascus synagogues to arrest any followers of "the Way" (Acts 9:1-2). His journey is dramatically interrupted by a blinding light and a voice identifying Himself as Jesus, whom Saul was persecuting (Acts 9:3-5). After three days of blindness and fasting in Damascus, Ananias, a local disciple, is divinely instructed to find Saul, heal him, and commission him for ministry (Acts 9:10-18). Acts 9:20 is the immediate, public result of this transformative encounter and healing. Historically and culturally, Jewish synagogues were the primary gathering places for Jewish communities, serving as centers for prayer, scripture reading, teaching, and communal life. For a devout Pharisee like Saul, these were familiar grounds, but now, instead of debating against believers or arresting them, he championed the very Messiah he had opposed. The shock and astonishment among the Jewish community in Damascus, who knew of his mission to persecute, would have been immense, setting the stage for future conflict.

Acts 9 20 Word analysis

• And straightway (Greek: εὐθέως, eutheōs): This adverb emphasizes immediacy, promptness, and suddenness. There was no hesitation, no lengthy period of preparation or training before Paul began his new ministry. This underscores the supernatural origin of his conversion and commission, suggesting a divine urgency and empowerment, rather than a gradual human decision.
• he preached (Greek: ἐκήρυσσεν, ekēryssen): The imperfect tense here indicates a continuous or repeated action, signifying that this was not a one-time declaration but the beginning of an ongoing, fervent proclamation. The verb kēryssō means to proclaim as a herald, to publicly announce with authority and conviction. It denotes a public and formal declaration, fitting for a revolutionary message.
• Christ (Greek: τὸν Χριστόν, ton Christon): The direct object of his preaching. Christos is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah), meaning "Anointed One." By proclaiming "Christ," Saul declared Jesus to be the fulfillment of Israel's long-awaited prophecies, the promised Deliverer and King. For a Jew, this was the ultimate claim.
• in the synagogues (Greek: ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς, en tais synagōgais): This identifies the initial target audience and setting. Synagogues were where the Jewish community gathered, where the Scriptures were read, and where religious discussions and debates took place. Paul, having been a Pharisee and a persecutor, knew these environments well. It demonstrates his strategic choice to preach to his own people first, using the existing infrastructure for Jewish worship and instruction. There is an immediate irony here, as these were the very places from which he had intended to drag believers away (Acts 9:2).
• that he is (Greek: ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν, hoti houtos estin): This phrase introduces the specific content and core assertion of Paul's message, presented as an emphatic declaration. It means "that this one is" or "that he himself is."
• the Son of God (Greek: ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ho Huios tou Theou): This is the culminating theological assertion of Paul's initial proclamation. For Jews, while the Messiah was a key figure, the claim of "Son of God" often carried connotations of divine equality or oneness with God (John 5:18, 10:33), which was considered blasphemous to many if applied to a man. By explicitly proclaiming Jesus as "the Son of God," Paul was not just identifying Him as the Messiah, but articulating His divine nature and unique relationship with God the Father. This went beyond mere human messiahship and became the core, often controversial, element of the gospel message, highlighting Jesus' pre-eminence and deity.

• "straightway he preached Christ": This phrase group signifies Paul's immediate pivot from persecution to preaching, directly under divine compulsion. The swiftness and nature of his initial proclamation demonstrate the overwhelming power of his conversion and divine calling (Gal 1:16). His focus was singularly on Christ, the newly revealed truth.
• "in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God": This emphasizes the setting and the core theological claim. Paul strategically targeted the heart of Jewish intellectual and spiritual life to present the most provocative and central claim of Christian faith – Jesus' divine sonship. This claim directly challenged prevailing Jewish conceptions of God's absolute oneness and the nature of the Messiah, setting the stage for contention and distinction between nascent Christianity and Judaism.

Acts 9 20 Bonus section

This verse subtly introduces the central tenet of early Christian kerygma (proclamation): not just that Jesus existed or was a great teacher, but specifically His divine nature as "the Son of God." This was distinct from a common Roman understanding of emperors as "sons of gods" or a general Jewish concept of pious individuals being "sons of God" metaphorically. Here, it refers to Jesus' unique, essential deity. This radical theological claim was the foundation for Paul's future argumentation regarding Jesus' Lordship, salvation, and the new covenant. The Jewish community's shock and initial doubt about Paul's authenticity (Acts 9:21) stems precisely from this unexpected, fervent proclamation by their former ally. The shift from Paul calling God "my Father" as a Jew, to proclaiming Jesus as "the Son of God" reflects the seismic theological shift that occurred within him.

Acts 9 20 Commentary

Acts 9:20 is a powerful testament to the transformative power of God and the immediate obedience of the converted. It marks the stunning reversal of Saul's life, from being the chief persecutor of Christians to becoming their most zealous evangelist. His first action is not to recuperate, study, or plan, but to immediately proclaim the very Jesus he once reviled. This promptness (signified by "straightway") suggests a divine impetus rather than human deliberation, echoing Ananias's prior understanding of God's chosen instrument.

Preaching "Christ" in the synagogues meant proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, fulfilling Jewish prophecies. However, the subsequent declaration, "that he is the Son of God," elevated the message beyond mere messianic kingship to a profound theological claim of Jesus' divinity. For the Jewish audience, who knew Saul as a staunch defender of monotheism and persecutor of any perceived blasphemy, this would have been nothing short of astonishing and deeply challenging. It directly confronted the Jewish understanding of a human Messiah and the exclusive singularity of God. This foundational truth – Jesus' unique divine sonship – became a cornerstone of Paul's Christology and his subsequent apostolic mission, leading to both conversions and vehement opposition. The scene in the Damascene synagogues powerfully foreshadows Paul's future pattern of ministry and the inherent tension within the gospel message, particularly when presented to those of Jewish faith.