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 Living Translation (NLT)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 asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5And 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.” 6So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise 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 5:10Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
• Numbers 16:45“Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
• John 18:6Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
• Romans 11:22Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
• Genesis 3:9Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
• Genesis 16:8And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
• Genesis 22:11But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”
• Exodus 3:4So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
• Luke 10:41And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.
• John 20:16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
• John 21:15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
• Acts 22:7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
• Acts 26:14And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
• Isaiah 63:9In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.
• Zechariah 2:8For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple 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
• Apostle
• Authority
• Confound
• Damascus
• Forthwith
• Kick
• Resurrection of Christ
• Acts of the Apostles
• Ascension

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