New King James Version
Acts 18:9
9Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;
Acts 18:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
- New International Version (NIV)One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,
- New Living Translation (NLT)One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!
Context of Acts 18:9
7And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Read all of Acts 18Acts 18:9 word by word
Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος ἐν νυκτὶ δι᾽ ὁράματος τῷ Παύλῳ· μὴ φοβοῦ ἀλλὰ λάλει καὶ μὴ σιωπήσῃς,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenδέde · thenG1161
- spakeλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- the Lordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- to PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the nightνύξnux · nightG3571
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- a visionὅραμαhorama · visionG3705
- Beφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- notμήmē · notG3361
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- holdσιωπάωsiōpaō · be quietG4623
Cross-references for Acts 18:9
- Acts 16:9And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
- Acts 22:18and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’
- Acts 23:11But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
- Acts 27:23For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,
- 2 Corinthians 12:1It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
- Isaiah 58:1“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.
- Jeremiah 1:17“Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.
- Ezekiel 2:6“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
- Ezekiel 3:9Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
- Jonah 3:2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
- Micah 3:8But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.
- Ephesians 6:19and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
- 1 Thessalonians 2:2But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.
Commentaries on Acts 18:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision - It is likely that Paul was at this time much discouraged by the violent opposition of the Jews, and probably was in danger of his life; see Acts 18:10; and might have been entertaining serious thoughts of ceasing to preach, or leaving Corinth. To prevent this, and comfort him, God was pleased to give him this vision. Be not afraid - That this comfort and assurance were necessary himself shows us in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9By a vision - Compare the notes on Acts 9:10; Acts 16:9. Be not afraid - Perhaps Paul might have been intimidated by the learning, refinement, and splendor of Corinth; perhaps embarrassed in view of his duty of addressing the rich, the polite, and the great. To this he may allude in 1 Corinthians 2:3; “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” In such circumstances it pleased God to meet him, and disarm his fears. This he did by…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-11Verses 7-11 The Lord knows those that are his, yea, and those that shall be his; for it is by his work upon them that they become his. Let us not despair concerning any place, when even in wicked Corinth Christ had much people. He will gather in his chosen flock from the places where they are scattered Thus encouraged, the apostle continued at Corinth, and a numerous and flourishing church grew up.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Paul encountered strong opposition in Corinth and feared another attack (18:6). The divine message comforted him (see 23:11; Psalm 34:4, 7, 19; Matthew 28:20). It encouraged him to continue his public ministry and promised God's protection (see Psalm 91:11; 2 Timothy 4:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-119-11. Then spake the Lord to Paul ... by a vision, Be not afraid ... no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, &c.--From this it would seem that these signal successes were stirring up the wrath of the unbelieving Jews, and probably the apostle feared being driven by violence, as before, from this scene of such promising labor. He is reassured, however, from above.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 18:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 18
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries