Acts 9:24 kjv
But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
Acts 9:24 nkjv
But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.
Acts 9:24 niv
but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
Acts 9:24 esv
but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,
Acts 9:24 nlt
They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.
Acts 9 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 9:23 | And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: | Acts 9:23 (Context of conspiracy) |
| 2 Corinthians 11:32 | In Damascus the governor of Aretas the king was guarding the city of Damascus with a garrison, intending to arrest me, | 2 Cor 11:32 (Similar escape plot) |
| Psalm 59:3 | For behold, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me, for no offense of mine or sin of mine, O LORD, | Ps 59:3 (Enemies plotting against David) |
| Psalm 31:13 | For I hear many whispering. Terror is all around; they conspire together against me; they plan to take my life. | Ps 31:13 (David facing enemies) |
| Psalm 2:2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, | Ps 2:2 (Rulers opposing God) |
| Matthew 26:4 | Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, called Caiaphas, | Matt 26:4 (Conspiracy against Jesus) |
| Mark 3:6 | But the Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. | Mark 3:6 (Conspiracy against Jesus) |
| Luke 22:2 | And the chief priests and the scribes looked for a way to put him to death, for they feared him. | Luke 22:2 (Conspiracy against Jesus) |
| John 11:53 | So from that day on they took counsel to put him to death. | John 11:53 (Conspiracy against Jesus) |
| Acts 23:12 | When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they killed Paul. | Acts 23:12 (Direct plot against Paul) |
| Acts 23:20 | So let him be sent down to you with the chief priests. Have them decide his case according to your law. But we must not kill him. (A conspiracy is disclosed) | Acts 23:20 (Conspiracy against Paul) |
| Acts 25:3 | And requested that he be sent to Jerusalem, preparing to ambush him on the way. | Acts 25:3 (Conspiracy against Paul) |
| Romans 16:4 | who risked their own necks for my life, to whom I am not grateful only, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. | Rom 16:4 (Paul's helpers) |
| Galatians 1:13 | For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. | Gal 1:13 (Saul's past persecution) |
| 1 Corinthians 15:9 | For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. | 1 Cor 15:9 (Paul's testimony) |
| Philippians 3:6 | as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness under the law, blameless. | Phil 3:6 (Paul's zealous past) |
| 1 Timothy 1:13 | though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief. | 1 Tim 1:13 (Paul's testimony) |
| Matthew 5:11 | “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. | Matt 5:11 (Blessings for persecution) |
| Luke 6:22 | “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man. | Luke 6:22 (Blessings for persecution) |
| John 15:18 | “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. | John 15:18 (World's hatred for believers) |
| Acts 20:3 | and remained there for the winter. But when a plot was launched against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. | Acts 20:3 (Plot against Paul) |
Acts 9 verses
Acts 9 24 Meaning
This verse describes the concerted effort of Saul's followers to capture him, based on a conspiracy that spanned over many days. It highlights the danger Saul was in and the deceptive tactics employed against him, rooted in his intense persecution of the early believers.
Acts 9 24 Context
In the immediate context, Saul had recently experienced a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. After healing from his blindness and being baptized, he began preaching boldly in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. This vigorous defense of Christianity directly contradicted his previous stance of actively persecuting the early church. The Jewish authorities, particularly in Damascus, who had been instrumental in his former activities, were enraged by his change of allegiance and powerful advocacy for Christ. Their conspiracy to kill him was a direct response to his new faith and public witness, reflecting the intense opposition faced by early Christians.
Acts 9 24 Word Analysis
- And (καὶ - kai): A conjunction connecting this verse to the previous action.
- after (μετὰ - meta): Indicates a lapse of time.
- that (ταύτην - tautēn): Refers to "this Damascus" or "this situation."
- many (πολλὰς - pollas): Many days, emphasizing a significant duration.
- days (ἡμέραι - hēmerai): A period of time, days.
- were (ἐγένοντο - egenonto): Became, happened.
- fulfilled (συμπληροῦσθαι - sumplērousthai): To be completed, finished. The period of time had ended.
- the (οἱ - hoi): Definite article.
- Jews (Ἰουδαῖοι - Ioudaioi): The Jewish people or authorities in Damascus.
- took (συμβούλιον - symboualion): Conspired, took counsel. It signifies a deliberate, plotted decision.
- counsel (ποιῶντες - poiontes): Making, doing. Here it is part of the idiom "to take counsel." The intention was to form a plan.
- to (τοῦ - tou): Infinitive marker.
- kill (ἀνελεῖν - anelein): To kill, slay. A strong word indicating lethal intent.
- him (αὐτόν - auton): Refers to Saul (Paul).
Words-Group Analysis
- "many days were fulfilled": This phrase indicates that a period of time had passed since Saul’s conversion in Damascus. It suggests that his initial preaching and presence in the city were tolerated for a while before the intense opposition mounted.
- "the Jews took counsel": The phrase "took counsel" (Gk. sumboulium poiousantes) signifies a deliberate, organized conspiracy. It was not a spontaneous mob action but a planned operation by the Jewish leadership or a faction thereof who were antagonistic to Saul's newfound faith.
Acts 9 24 Bonus Section
This passage reflects a common theme throughout the New Testament where former associates or those representing established religious authority actively sought to suppress the burgeoning Christian movement. The plot against Saul in Damascus is a precursor to many other conspiracies and attempts on his life throughout his ministry, as recorded in the book of Acts and his own epistles. His escape from Damascus via a basket through a window in the city wall, mentioned in the next verse, is a testament to divine intervention and the help of fellow believers in aiding him during extreme peril. It underscores the reality that embracing Christ often brought significant, life-threatening opposition.
Acts 9 24 Commentary
The verse details the unfolding animosity from the Jewish authorities in Damascus towards Saul. His conversion and subsequent bold preaching proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah had profoundly threatened their religious and social order. The Jewish leaders, remembering Saul's former zeal for their traditions and his active role in persecuting the nascent Christian movement, saw his transformation as a betrayal. They, therefore, actively plotted over an extended period ("many days were fulfilled") to eliminate him, demonstrating the serious danger he faced. This plotting was a pattern they had previously shown against Jesus, and would continue to show against Paul, highlighting the inherent conflict between the early Church and those who opposed it from within Judaism. This highlights the hostility faced by new converts, especially prominent ones like Saul, and the strategic nature of the opposition they encountered.