Acts 9:7 kjv
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
Acts 9:7 nkjv
And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
Acts 9:7 niv
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
Acts 9:7 esv
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
Acts 9:7 nlt
The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone's voice but saw no one!
Acts 9 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 22:9 | "And they that were with me saw indeed the light... but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me." | Complementary account; emphasizes not hearing the message. |
| Acts 26:14 | "And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice..." | Adds detail about everyone falling. |
| Dan 10:7 | "And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them..." | Companions perceive effect, not vision, leading to terror. |
| Gen 3:8 | "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden..." | Adam and Eve hearing God's voice. |
| Exod 19:19 | "when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice." | Israel hearing God's voice at Sinai, some distinction. |
| 1 Sam 3:10 | "And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth." | Samuel's personal hearing of God's call. |
| Isa 6:8 | "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." | Isaiah's direct, personal hearing of God's call. |
| Jn 12:28-30 | "There came therefore a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it was thunder: others said, An angel spake to him." | Different perceptions of a divine sound/voice. |
| Matt 3:17 | "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son..." | Divine voice confirming Christ's identity. |
| Matt 17:5 | "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them...a voice out of the cloud..." | Voice at the Transfiguration, only certain apostles present. |
| 2 Pet 1:17 | "For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory..." | Confirmation of divine voice from Transfiguration. |
| Rom 10:17 | "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." | Emphasizes the importance of hearing for belief. |
| 1 Cor 12:4 | "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." | God works uniquely in different individuals. |
| 1 Cor 15:8 | "And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." | Paul's unique claim to have seen the risen Christ. |
| Gal 1:11-12 | "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." | Paul's direct, non-human source of revelation. |
| 2 Cor 12:1-4 | "It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord." | Paul's multiple, intense supernatural encounters. |
| Jer 1:4 | "Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," | Divine word coming to a prophet. |
| Hos 1:2 | "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea." | Another example of direct divine communication. |
| Rev 1:10 | "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet," | John's encounter with a mighty voice. |
| Acts 10:13 | "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat." | Peter's personal hearing of a divine voice. |
| Judg 6:12 | "And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee..." | Call of Gideon, personal encounter despite witnesses. |
| Luke 10:21 | "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes..." | God's specific revelation to chosen individuals. |
Acts 9 verses
Acts 9 7 Meaning
Acts 9:7 describes the experience of the men traveling with Saul (who would become Paul) during his transformative encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. They perceived an audible phenomenon (hearing a sound or voice) but were unable to discern a visible source for it, rendering them stunned and speechless. This partial perception contrasts sharply with Saul's direct and personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, highlighting the unique nature of his divine call.
Acts 9 7 Context
This verse is situated immediately following the dramatic account of Saul's blinding encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. Prior to this, Saul was a fervent persecutor of Christians, traveling to Damascus with official authorization to arrest believers and bring them bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). Verse 7 describes the reaction of his traveling companions to the blinding light and the accompanying divine communication that only Saul fully understood. This moment is pivotal, marking the immediate aftermath of Saul's conversion and the commencement of his journey towards becoming the Apostle Paul. Historically, such journeys were often undertaken in groups for safety. The setting is Roman Syria, within a religiously charged Jewish landscape where zealots like Saul rigorously upheld Mosaic Law. This event directly challenged his perception of Messianic fulfillment and who truly spoke for God, demonstrating Christ's supremacy over established religious authority.
Word Analysis
- And the men which journeyed with him: οἱ δὲ συν αὐτῷ πορευόμενοι (hoi de syn autō poreuomenoi) – This phrase clearly identifies Saul's companions, emphasizing their presence and participation in the journey, though not in the core purpose. The "men" were distinct individuals, not merely an unobserved background.
- stood speechless: ἑστήκεσαν ἐνεοί (hestēkesan eneoi) –
- ἑστήκεσαν (hestēkesan): "they stood, they were standing." This perfect tense verb implies a state of being fixed or halted. While Acts 26:14 states "we were all fallen to the earth," the accounts are not contradictory. The companions likely fell, then quickly rose to a dazed, unmoving "standing" state, unlike Saul who remained prostrate and continued his dialogue with Christ. This verb also denotes their shock-induced immobility.
- ἐνεοί (eneoi): "speechless, dumb, confounded." It conveys their state of utter bewilderment, rendering them unable to articulate anything due to the overwhelming experience. It suggests mental and physical shock, distinct from physical disability.
- hearing a voice: ἀκούοντες μὲν τῆς φωνῆς (akouontes men tēs phōnēs) –
- ἀκούοντες (akouontes): "hearing." This present participle indicates an ongoing action.
- μὲν (men): A particle often used to set up a contrast or introduce one part of a balanced statement. It here emphasizes the act of hearing as distinct from seeing.
- τῆς φωνῆς (tēs phōnēs): "the voice" or "the sound." This word (phonē) can refer to any audible sound, whether human voice, animal cry, or other noise. In this context, they perceived the sound but lacked understanding of its source or specific content, distinguishing it from Saul's direct comprehension. This specific wording differs subtly but importantly from Acts 22:9 regarding what they did "not hear," suggesting they did not hear the intelligible words spoken to Paul.
- but seeing no man: μηδένα δὲ θεωροῦντες (mēdena de theōrountes) –
- μηδένα (mēdena): "no one, no man." It is a strong negation, emphasizing a complete lack of any visual perception of a person.
- δὲ (de): "but," used to introduce the contrast with the preceding "hearing."
- θεωροῦντες (theōrountes): "seeing, beholding, contemplating." This verb implies a more careful or intentional observation, not just casual sight (contrast with blepō - to merely see). They thoroughly observed their surroundings, but saw no discernible individual as the source of the sound, intensifying their bewilderment.
Acts 9 7 Commentary
Acts 9:7 offers crucial insights into the nature of divine revelation and the specific calling of Paul. The companions' experience is significant precisely because of its limitation. They are eyewitnesses to the phenomenon, a loud noise and brilliant light, lending external credibility to Paul's testimony, yet they are excluded from the core, personal meaning of the encounter. This distinguishes the objective reality of the event from the subjective and personal revelation granted to Paul. Their speechlessness underscores the awe and terror evoked by a divine manifestation that transcends human comprehension. The subtle distinction in "hearing" versus "not hearing" the voice across Luke's various accounts (Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9) highlights that while they perceived sound, they did not discern its intelligible content, the specific message spoken to Paul. God often works through one individual for a specific purpose, providing peripheral evidence to others without granting them the full insight, thus accentuating the chosen recipient's unique commission.
Bonus SectionThe partial experience of Saul's companions illustrates a theological principle: while God's presence can be undeniably felt or observed by many, His specific message or call is often highly individualized. Their "speechlessness" suggests the overwhelming power and mystery of a direct divine intervention. This verse reinforces the direct, non-human source of Paul's apostleship, as he received his commission directly from the risen Christ without the mediation or full understanding of others. It also provides an apologetic layer to Paul's conversion; objective external signs existed for what was primarily a subjective internal experience for Paul. This account also mirrors prophetic call narratives (e.g., Daniel 10:7) where companions are affected by a divine presence but do not perceive the vision or message itself.