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 who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! 6But stand up and enter 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 5:10At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
• Numbers 16:45“Get away from this community, so that I can consume them in an instant!” But they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground.
• John 18:6So when Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they retreated and fell to the ground.
• Romans 11:22Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God – harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?
• Genesis 3:9But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
• Genesis 16:8He said, “Hagar, servant 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 Lord’s angel called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered.
• Exodus 3:4When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
• Luke 10:41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things,
• John 20:16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni” (which means Teacher).
• John 21:15Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.”
• Acts 22:7Then I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
• Acts 26:14When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.’
• Isaiah 63:9Through all that they suffered, he suffered too. The messenger sent from his very presence delivered them. In his love and mercy he protected them; he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times.
• Zechariah 2:8For the Lord who rules over all says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you – for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his 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