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

2He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. 3As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6Now 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 fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
• Numbers 16:45“Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground.
• John 18:6As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground!
• Romans 11:22Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?
• Genesis 3:9Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
• Genesis 16:8The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.
• Genesis 22:11At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”
• Exodus 3:4When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied.
• Luke 10:41But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!
• John 20:16“Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
• John 21:15After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus 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 down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
• Isaiah 63:9In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.
• Zechariah 2:8After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.

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