Acts 9:1-19 · Read 10 min · think and write 15 min
Paul first appears in Acts under the name Saul. When Stephen was stoned to death, “The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58). From that day the assembly in Jerusalem was severely persecuted, and “Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house and dragged both men and women off to prison” (Acts 8:3).
In this lesson he carries letters from the high priest and sets out for Damascus to arrest people who believe in Jesus.
1But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
4He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”
7The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.
8Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
11The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
14Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.
19He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.
Setting out with letters. Saul was “still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (v. 1). He asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, “that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (v. 2). He was not looking for God; he was hunting down people who followed him.
Why do you persecute me? As he got close to Damascus, “suddenly a light from the sky shone around him” (v. 3). He fell on the earth and heard, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (v. 4). Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” (v. 5). The answer was, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (v. 5). Saul was binding disciples; Jesus said he was persecuting ‘me.’
Led by the hand. When he set out, he held letters for binding others; when he entered the city, he could not see, and “They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus” (v. 8). “He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank” (v. 9). The passage does not say what he was thinking during those three days; it records only one thing the Lord said: “For behold, he is praying” (v. 11).
Ananias was afraid. The Lord sent a disciple named Ananias to find him. Ananias told the truth: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem” (v. 13). The Lord did not rebuke him. He only said, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel” (v. 15).
Brother Saul. Ananias went. He laid his hands on Saul, and the first words he spoke were, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me” (v. 17). A few days earlier this man had been coming to bind them; now the first disciple to receive him called him ‘brother.’
Scales fell. “Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized” (v. 18). Then “Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus” (v. 19) — the very people he had come to arrest.
Suffering is in it too. What the Lord told Ananias was not only that Saul would bear his name. There was another line: “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (v. 16). This lesson is the beginning; the suffering we will read, one piece at a time, in the lessons ahead.
Later, in his letter to the assembly at Philippi, Paul described who he used to be: “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly” (Phil 3:5–6).
These are Paul’s own words, from one of his letters. They let the reader know that the man who fell to the ground on the Damascus road was one of the most earnest keepers of the law of his day.
Perhaps you also know someone who ‘could never’ believe — or perhaps you once felt that you were that person.
This lesson does not ask you to see a light from the sky too. Each person meets the Lord in a different way. What it lets you see is this: when the Lord found Saul, Saul was on his way to persecute people; the Lord chose him before he had done a single thing right. Paul later wrote, “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor 15:10).
This week: Think of one person you have decided ‘could never’ believe. Pray for them once this week, and, like Ananias, try in your heart to call them ‘brother’ or ‘sister.’
Scripture: World English Bible.