Acts 9:4

Acts 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
• New International Version (NIV)He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Context of Acts 9:4

2and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. 6“But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Acts 9:4 word by word

καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἤκουσεν φωνὴν λέγουσαν αὐτῷ· Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• he fellπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
• toἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the earthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the earthγῆgē · earth: soilG1093
• and heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• a voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• SaulΣαούλSaoul · SaulG4549
• whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• persecutest thouδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473

Cross-references for Acts 9:4

• Acts 5:10Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband.
• Numbers 16:45“Get away from this community so that I may consume them instantly.” But they fell facedown.
• John 18:6When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.
• Romans 11:22Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindness toward you — if you remain in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?
• Genesis 3:9So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
• Genesis 16:8He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”
• Genesis 22:11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am.”
• Exodus 3:4When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.
• Luke 10:41The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things,
• John 20:16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” — which means “Teacher.”
• John 21:15When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him.
• Acts 22:7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
• Acts 26:14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
• Isaiah 63:9In all their suffering, he suffered, and the angel of his presence saved them. He redeemed them because of his love and compassion; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of the past.
• Zechariah 2:8For the Lord of Armies says this: “In pursuit of his glory, he sent me against the nations plundering you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye.

Commentaries on Acts 9:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And he fell to the earth - Being struck down with the lightning: many persons suppose he was on horseback, and painters thus represent him; but this is utterly without foundation. Painters are, in almost every case, wretched commentators.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And he fell to the earth - He was astonished and overcome by the sudden flash of light. There is a remarkable similarity between what occurred here, and what is recorded of Daniel in regard to the visions which he saw, Daniel 8:17. Also Daniel 10:8, “Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision; and there remained no strength in me, for my comeliness (vigor) was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength.” The effect was such as to…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 9:4

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

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Apostle
• Authority
• Confound
• Damascus
• Forthwith
• Kick
• Resurrection of Christ
• Acts of the Apostles

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