Acts 9:5

Acts 9:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
• New International Version (NIV)“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Context of Acts 9:5

3As he traveled he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [displaying the glory and majesty of Christ]; 4and he fell to the ground and heard a voice [from heaven] saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?” And Saul said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7The men who were traveling with him [were terrified and] stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

Acts 9:5 word by word

εἶπεν δέ· τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δέ ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκειςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• art thouεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• persecutestδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
• hardσκληρόςsklēros · hardG4642
• to kickλακτίζωlaktizō · to kickG2979
• againstπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• the pricksκέντρονkentron · stingG2759

Cross-references for Acts 9:5

• 1 Samuel 3:4that the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.”
• 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.
• 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.
• Acts 5:39but if it is of God [and it appears that it is], you will not be able to stop them; or else you may even be found fighting against God!”
• Deuteronomy 32:15“But Jeshurun (Israel) became fat and kicked [at God]. You became fat, thick, sleek, and obstinate! Then he abandoned God who had made him, And scorned the Rock of his salvation.
• Job 9:4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?
• Job 40:9Have you an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?
• Psalms 2:12Kiss (pay respect to) the Son, so that He does not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled and set aflame. How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] are all those who take refuge in Him!
• Isaiah 45:9“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who quarrels with his Maker— A [worthless] piece of broken pottery among other broken pieces [equally worthless]! Shall the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or does the thing say, ‘He has no hands’?
• 1 Corinthians 10:22Do we [really] provoke the Lord to jealousy [when we eat food sacrificed to handmade “gods” at pagan feasts]? Are we [spiritually] stronger than He? [Certainly not! He knows that the idols are nothing. But we deeply offend Him.]

Commentaries on Acts 9:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Who art thou, Lord? - , ; Who art thou, Sir? He had no knowledge who it was that addressed him, and would only use the term , as any Roman or Greek would, merely as a term of civil respect. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest - "Thy enmity is against me and my religion; and the injuries which thou dost to my followers I consider as done to myself." The following words, making twenty in the original, and thirty in our version, are found in no Greek MS. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? - The word “Lord” here, as is frequently the case in the New Testament, means no more than “sir,” John 4:19. It is evident that Saul did not as yet know that this was the Lord Jesus. He heard a voice as of a man; he heard himself addressed, but by whom the words were spoken was to him unknown. In his amazement and confusion, he naturally asked who it was that was thus addressing him. And the Lord said - In this place the…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. 4-64-6. he fell to the earth--and his companions with him (Ac 26:14), who "saw the light" (Ac 22:9). and heard a voice saying unto him--"in the Hebrew tongue" (Ac 26:14). Saul, Saul--a reduplication full of tenderness [De Wette]. Though his name was soon changed into "Paul," we find him, in both his own narratives of the scene, after the lapse of so many years, retaining the original form, as not daring to alter, in the smallest detail, the overpowering…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 9:5

• Bigotry
• Call
• Converts
• Heart
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles
• Paul
• Persecution
• Regeneration
• Sin
• Syria
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Apostle
• Authority
• Confound
• Damascus
• Forthwith
• Goad
• Kick
• Paul

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