Acts 9:1

Acts 9:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
• New International Version (NIV)Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Context of Acts 9:1

Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord [and relentless in his search for believers], went to the high priest, 2and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem. 3As he traveled he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [displaying the glory and majesty of Christ];

Acts 9:1 word by word

Ὁ δὲ Σαῦλος ἔτι ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς καὶ φόνου εἰς τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ κυρίου, προσελθὼν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• SaulΣαῦλοςSaulos · SaulG4569
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• breathing outἐμπνέωempneō · to breath intoG1709
• threateningsἀπειλήapeilē · threatG547
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• slaughterφόνοςphonos · murderG5408
• againstεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• went untoπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
• the high priestἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749

Cross-references for Acts 9:1

• Acts 9:11And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul; for he is praying [there],
• Acts 7:58Then they drove him out of the city and began stoning him; and the witnesses placed their outer robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
• Acts 8:3But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.
• Acts 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being ardent and passionate for God just as all of you are today.
• Acts 26:9“So then, I [once] thought to myself that it was my duty to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I [at one time] fiercely oppressed and violently persecuted the church of God.
• Galatians 1:13You have heard of my career and former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to hunt down and persecute the church of God extensively and [with fanatical zeal] tried [my best] to destroy it.
• Philippians 3:6as to my zeal [for Jewish tradition], a persecutor of the church; and as to righteousness [supposed right living] which [my fellow Jews believe] is in the Law, I proved myself blameless.
• 1 Timothy 1:13even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.
• Psalms 27:12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, For false witnesses have come against me; They breathe out violence.

Commentaries on Acts 9:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter - The original text is very emphatic, , and points out how determinate Saul was to pursue and accomplish his fell purpose of totally destroying the infant Church of Christ. The mode of speech introduced above is very frequent in the Greek writers, who often express any vehement and hostile affection of the mind by the verb , to breathe, to pant; so Theocritus, Idyll. xxii. ver. 82: , . They came into the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And Saul - See the notes on Acts 7:58; Acts 8:3. He had been engaged be fore in persecuting the Christians, but he now sought opportunity to gratify his insatiable desire on a larger scale. Yet breathing out - Not satisfied with what he had done, Acts 8:3. The word breathing out is expressive often of any deep, agitating emotion, as we then breathe rapidly and violently. It is thus expressive of violent anger. The emotion is absorbing, agitating…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The conversion of Saul. (1-9) Saul converted preaches Christ. (10-22) Saul is persecuted at Damascus, and goes to Jerusalem. (23-31) Cure of Eneas. (32-35) Dorcas raised to life. (36-43) Verses 1-9 So ill informed was Saul, that he thought he ought to do all he could against the name of Christ, and that he did God service thereby; he seemed to breathe in this as in his element. Let us not despair of renewing grace for the conversion of the greatest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-19The conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road is central to the story in Acts. Luke tells the story three times (also 22:1–21; 26:1–29). Paul (Saul) mentions this experience several times in his letters (1 Corinthians 15:8–10; Galatians 1:11–17; Philippians 3:4–11; see 1 Timothy 1:12–17). Saul’s conversion was his call as a prophet and commission as an apostle (Acts 9:15; 22:15, 21; 26:15–18). No one is beyond God's power to reach, save, and use…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-251. Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, &c.--The emphatic "yet" is intended to note the remarkable fact, that up to this moment his blind persecuting rage against the disciples of the Lord burned as fiercely as ever. (In the teeth of this, Neander and Olshausen picture him deeply impressed with Stephen's joyful faith, remembering passages of the Old Testament confirmatory of the Messiahship of Jesus, and…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 9:1

• Bigotry
• Heart
• Paul
• Persecution
• Syria

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• High priest
• Authority
• Confound
• Damascus
• Forthwith
• Kick
• Acts of the Apostles
• Breath; Breathe; Breathing

Commentaries on Acts 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings