Acts 9 26

Acts 9:26 kjv

And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

Acts 9:26 nkjv

And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

Acts 9:26 niv

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

Acts 9:26 esv

And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.

Acts 9:26 nlt

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

Acts 9 verses

Acts 9 26 Meaning

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he made repeated efforts to integrate with the followers of Jesus. However, the entire community of believers was filled with fear concerning him, as they could not believe that such a notorious persecutor could genuinely have become a disciple of Christ. Their skepticism stemmed from his widely known and violent past actions against the nascent Christian movement.

Acts 9 26 Context

Acts 9:26 immediately follows Saul's dramatic conversion on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-19) and his initial, surprising preaching of Christ in Damascus, which led to plots against his life (Acts 9:20-25). Having escaped Damascus, Saul arrives in Jerusalem, the very center of Jewish religious authority and where intense persecution against Christians had been orchestrated—largely by Saul himself. This verse marks his attempt to join the community he once brutalized. Historically, the memory of his zealous persecution, including his presence at Stephen's stoning (Acts 7:58), would have been fresh and terrifying to the believers in Jerusalem, making their apprehension entirely understandable.

Acts 9 26 Word analysis

• And when Saul had come to Jerusalem:
  • Ελθὼν (Elthon - "having come"): Participle indicating a completed action, setting the scene for what follows.
  • δὲ (de - "and/but"): A connective that transitions the narrative to Jerusalem after Saul's escape from Damascus.
  • εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ (eis Hierousalēm - "to Jerusalem"): A crucial geographical shift to the primary Christian community.
  • Σαῦλος (Saulos - "Saul"): His Jewish name, associating him directly with his zealous, persecuting past.
• he tried to join the disciples:
  • ἐπειρᾶτο (epeirato - "he was trying/attempting"): Imperfect tense of peiraō, signifying repeated attempts or a persistent but unachieved effort. He wasn't casually approaching but genuinely sought deep connection.
  • κολλᾶσθαι (kollasthai - "to join himself to/to cleave to"): Infinitive of kollao, meaning to glue, cling, or stick closely to. It denotes a strong desire for close fellowship and integration into the community, not just a casual acquaintance.
  • τοῖς μαθηταῖς (tois mathētais - "the disciples"): Refers specifically to the followers of Jesus, the Christian community in Jerusalem.
• but they were all afraid of him:
  • πάντες (pantes - "all"): Emphasizes the unanimous nature of their fear; it was a widespread, collective reaction within the Jerusalem church.
  • ἐφοβοῦντο (ephobounto - "they feared/were afraid"): Imperfect tense of phobeomai, indicating an ongoing state or sustained feeling of dread and apprehension. Their fear was deep-seated and persistent due to his notorious reputation.
  • αὐτόν (auton - "him"): Direct object, referring to Saul, the individual they justifiably perceived as a threat.
• not believing that he was a disciple:
  • μὴ πιστεύοντες (mē pisteuontes - "not believing"): The mē with the present participle indicates their subjective rejection or disbelief. Their lack of belief was the direct cause of their fear and unwillingness to associate with him.
  • ὅτι (hoti - "that"): Introduces the content of their disbelief.
  • ἐστὶν (estin - "he is/was"): Present tense, suggesting an ongoing condition; they didn't believe he truly was a disciple.
  • μαθητής (mathētēs - "disciple"): The title for a follower of Christ. They doubted his sincerity and actual transformation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join": This highlights Saul's deliberate and persistent initiative to connect with the Christian community in the heartland of Judaism. It shows his earnest desire for fellowship post-conversion.
• "they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple": This phrase powerfully conveys the deeply ingrained and collective apprehension of the disciples. Their fear was entirely rational, rooted in Saul's well-documented past, and led directly to their inability to accept his claim of discipleship without substantial evidence or intervention. The phrase emphasizes the human element of fear and doubt, even among believers, when confronted with a radically transformed adversary.

Acts 9 26 Bonus section

• This specific situation perfectly illustrates the human struggle with accepting radical change, even within the context of divine transformation. Trust, once broken, takes time and clear evidence (often through the testimony of others) to rebuild.
• The incident underscores the value of intercession and advocacy within the Christian community, as Barnabas steps in (Acts 9:27) to validate Saul's conversion and mediate his acceptance. Without this intervention, Saul's entry into the Jerusalem fellowship would likely have remained blocked.
• It subtly prefigures the ongoing tension Paul would experience throughout his ministry, as his past identity often cast a long shadow, leading to suspicion and even false accusations from various groups, including some within the Christian movement.
• The immediate and universal fear ("they were all afraid") underscores the profound impact Saul's persecutions had on the early church, emphasizing the terror he had inspired among them.

Acts 9 26 Commentary

Acts 9:26 is a vivid portrayal of the friction between past reputation and present transformation. Saul, having experienced a miraculous conversion, returns to Jerusalem with a fervent desire to fellowship with those he previously persecuted. However, the collective memory of his violent acts against believers, particularly his role in scattering the church and pursuing them to their death, rendered him an object of intense fear. The disciples' reaction was entirely understandable from a human perspective; his radical change was simply too incredible for them to immediately accept. This verse highlights the practical challenges of integrating converts, especially those from an adversarial background, and the necessary process of building trust. It sets the stage for the pivotal role of Barnabas, who, through divine enablement and courage, would bridge this gap of suspicion, enabling Saul to finally connect with the apostles and Jerusalem church.