Acts 9 9

Acts 9:9 kjv

And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Acts 9:9 nkjv

And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9:9 niv

For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Acts 9:9 esv

And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9:9 nlt

He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

Acts 9 verses

Acts 9 9 Meaning

Acts 9:9 describes the immediate aftermath of Saul's encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. Struck blind by a divine light, he entered Damascus without sight. For three days, Saul was unable to see, and during this crucial period, he abstained entirely from food and drink. This verse highlights a period of physical disability, profound introspection, and absolute dependence on God, marking a pivotal moment of transition from persecutor to a recipient of divine grace.

Acts 9 9 Context

Acts chapter 9 opens with Saul's zealous persecution of believers, breathing out threats and murder (v.1). His journey to Damascus, armed with arrest warrants, intended to bring Christian followers back to Jerusalem for trial. However, his mission was dramatically interrupted by a blinding light and a voice identifying as Jesus (v.3-5). Stunned, confused, and now physically blind, Saul was led into Damascus. Verse 9 details the three-day period following this supernatural encounter, where Saul, a fierce opponent of Christ, was rendered completely helpless. This interim period served as a time of profound reflection, spiritual revelation, and intense personal humiliation, preparing him for the life-altering message he would soon receive from Ananias.

Acts 9 9 Word analysis

• three days: (Greek: τρεῖς ἡμέρας, treis hēmeras)
  • This precise temporal marker signifies a critical, God-ordained period.
  • In biblical narratives, "three days" often precedes a major revelation, turning point, or divine intervention (e.g., Jonah in the fish, Abraham with Isaac, Esther's fast, the resurrection of Christ).
  • It symbolizes a period of purification, transformation, or preparation. For Saul, it was a time of breaking down his old identity and preparing him for his new calling.
• without sight: (Greek: μὴ βλέπων, mē blepōn)
  • Physically, Saul was blind (as stated in v.8). The encounter's brilliant light temporarily deprived him of physical vision.
  • Symbolically, this physical blindness mirrored his previous spiritual blindness regarding Jesus as the Messiah. His physical sight was removed so his spiritual sight could be opened.
  • It represents his utter helplessness and dependence, a state directly contrasting his former aggressive, self-sufficient zeal.
• neither did eat nor drink: (Greek: καὶ οὐκ ἔφαγεν οὐδὲ ἔπιεν, kai ouk ephagen oude epien)
  • This signifies a complete, absolute fast, not merely a loss of appetite.
  • Fasting in the Bible is a practice of deep spiritual discipline, often associated with intense prayer, mourning, repentance, seeking divine guidance, or demonstrating complete reliance on God.
  • For Saul, this likely encompassed:
    • Repentance: A profound sorrow for his persecution of Christ and His followers.
    • Humiliation/Mourning: Grieving his past actions and the shattered foundations of his former life.
    • Seeking God: Desperate appeal for understanding, forgiveness, and guidance for his utterly disrupted life.
  • It was an act of extreme spiritual devotion born out of his dramatic conversion experience.
• Words-group: "three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink"
  • This entire phrase emphasizes Saul's complete sensory deprivation and physical deprivation. It created a forced solitude and introspection, stripping away his external identity and forcing him into an inward encounter with God.
  • It showcases his profound spiritual crisis and conversion, manifesting in an immediate and radical shift in his behavior from zealous persecutor to humbled seeker.

Acts 9 9 Bonus section

The three-day period also echoes Old Testament narratives where significant figures (e.g., Daniel's visions, Queen Esther's appeal, Ezra's fasting before the journey) undergo similar times of seeking God, often culminating in divine intervention or revelation. For Saul, this private and humbling period contrasts sharply with his public and forceful activities as a persecutor. It underlines a critical principle: before he could effectively see and preach Christ to the nations, he first had to experience personal blindness and brokenness, allowing Christ to open his spiritual eyes. His inability to eat or drink was not necessarily ordered by God but was a natural, internal response of a person in deep spiritual crisis and radical reorientation. This total incapacitation was a divine act of mercy, stopping his persecution and isolating him for transformative work.

Acts 9 9 Commentary

Acts 9:9 captures the profound state of Saul's vulnerability and submission following his encounter with Jesus. The "three days" of physical blindness were not merely a medical condition but a divinely appointed period of spiritual recalibration. This time was intensified by an absolute fast from food and drink, signaling an acute state of repentance, desperate prayer, and radical dependence on God. Stripped of his physical faculties and his previous zeal, Saul was forced into complete introspection. This sensory deprivation served as a crucible, purifying his soul and preparing him to receive spiritual instruction, opening his heart and mind to embrace his new identity and calling as a servant of Christ. It was a time of complete surrender, turning his former strength into utter weakness to fully rely on divine strength.