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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Acts 9:21

All who heard him were astounded and asked, "Isn't this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Paul;   Syria;   Zeal, Religious;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Damascus;   Stephen;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Damascus;   Syria;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ascension of Christ;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Damascus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Paul;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Prayer;   Son of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronology of the New Testament;   Damascus;   Joppa;   Mark, Gospel According to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles;   Attributes of Christ;   Boyhood of Jesus;   Christ, Christology;   Damascus, Damascenes;   Flight;   Pre-Eminence ;   Rapture Ecstasy;   Voice;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Damascus;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Damas'cus,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Havoc;   Intend;   Name;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for April 8;   Today's Word from Skip Moen - Devotion for November 28;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
No one could believe what they were hearing from him. "Isn't this the guy who'd waged war on Jesus's cowboys in Jerusalem?" they asked. "I thought he'd got a warrant to roundup anyone who believed in Jesus and take them back to Jerusalem in shackles?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"
Legacy Standard Bible
And all those hearing him continued to be astounded, and were saying, "Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those that called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"
Bible in Basic English
And all those hearing him were full of wonder and said, Is not this the man who in Jerusalem was attacking all the worshippers of this name? and he had come here so that he might take them as prisoners before the chief priests.
Darby Translation
And all who heard were astonished and said, Is not this *he* who destroyed in Jerusalem those who called on this name, and here was come for this purpose, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?
New King James Version
Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?"
Christian Standard Bible®
But all who heard him were astounded and said, "Isn't this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?"
World English Bible
All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But all that heard were amazed, and said, Is not this he who destroyed those that call on this name at Jerusalem? And came hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?
Weymouth's New Testament
and his hearers were all amazed, and began to ask one another, "Is not this the man who in Jerusalem tried to exterminate those who called upon that Name, and came here on purpose to carry them off in chains to the High Priests?"
King James Version (1611)
But all that heard him, were amazed, and said, Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this Name in Hierusalem, and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound vnto the chiefe Priests?
Literal Translation
And all those hearing were amazed and said, Is this not the one destroying those who have called on this Name in Jerusalem, and he had come here for this, that binding them he might lead them before the chief priests?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But all they that herde him, were amased, and sayde: Is not this he, which at Ierusalem spoyled all those that called on his name? and came hither to the intent that he shulde brynge them bounde vnto the hye prestes?
Mace New Testament (1729)
the audience were all amazed, and said, is not this he that persecuted the professors of this doctrine at Jerusalem, and came here on purpose to carry them prisoners to the chief priests?
THE MESSAGE
The Blinding of Saul All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master's disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. He set off. When he got to the outskirts of Damascus, he was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?" He said, "Who are you, Master?" "I am Jesus, the One you're hunting down. I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you'll be told what to do next." His companions stood there dumbstruck—they could hear the sound, but couldn't see anyone—while Saul, picking himself up off the ground, found himself stone-blind. They had to take him by the hand and lead him into Damascus. He continued blind for three days. He ate nothing, drank nothing. There was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The Master spoke to him in a vision: "Ananias." "Yes, Master?" he answered. "Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He's there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again." Ananias protested, "Master, you can't be serious. Everybody's talking about this man and the terrible things he's been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem! And now he's shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us." But the Master said, "Don't argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I'm about to show him what he's in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job." So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than something like scales fell from Saul's eyes—he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized, and sat down with them to a hearty meal. Saul spent a few days getting acquainted with the Damascus disciples, but then went right to work, wasting no time, preaching in the meeting places that this Jesus was the Son of God. They were caught off guard by this and, not at all sure they could trust him, they kept saying, "Isn't this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem among the believers? And didn't he come here to do the same thing—arrest us and drag us off to jail in Jerusalem for sentencing by the high priests?"
Amplified Bible
All those who heard him continued to be amazed and said, "Is this not the man who in Jerusalem attacked those who called on this name [of Jesus], and had come here [to Damascus] for the express purpose of bringing them bound [with chains] before the chief priests?"
American Standard Version
And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests.
Revised Standard Version
And all who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
All that hearde him were amased and sayde: is not this he that spoyled the which called on this name in Ierusalem and came hyther for ye entent that he shuld bringe the bounde vnto the hye prestes?
Update Bible Version
And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Isn't this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of those that called on this name? and he had come here for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests.
Webster's Bible Translation
But all that heard [him] were amazed, and said, Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?
Young's Literal Translation
And all those hearing were amazed, and said, `Is not this he who laid waist in Jerusalem those calling on this name, and hither to this intent had come, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?'
New Century Version
All the people who heard him were amazed. They said, "This is the man who was in Jerusalem trying to destroy those who trust in this name! He came here to arrest the followers of Jesus and take them back to the leading priests."
New English Translation
All who heard him were amazed and were saying, "Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?"
Contemporary English Version
Everyone who heard Saul was amazed and said, "Isn't this the man who caused so much trouble for those people in Jerusalem who worship in the name of Jesus? Didn't he come here to arrest them and take them to the chief priests?"
Complete Jewish Bible
All who heard him were amazed. They asked, "Isn't he the man who in Yerushalayim was trying to destroy the people who call on this name? In fact, isn't that why he came here, to arrest them and bring them back to the head cohanim?"
English Standard Version
And all who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
So that all that heard him, were amased, and sayde, Is not this hee, that made hauocke of them which called on this Name in Hierusalem, and came hither for that intent, that hee should bring them bound vnto the hie Priests?
George Lamsa Translation
But all those who heard him were amazed and said: Is this not he who persecuted those who called on this name in Jerusalem and behold, he was sent here for that very purpose that he might bring them bound to the high priests?
Hebrew Names Version
All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Yerushalayim made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief Kohanim!"
International Standard Version
All who heard him were astonished and said, "This is the man who harassed those who called on his name in Jerusalem, isn't it? Didn't he come here to bring them in chains to the high priests?"Acts 8:1,3; Galatians 1:13,23, 3;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And all they who heard him wondered, and they said, Is not this he who persecuted all those who call upon this name in Urishlem ? And behold, also, hither upon the self-same (object) was he sent to bind and take them to the chief priests.
Murdock Translation
And all they that heard him were amazed; and they said: Is not this he, who persecuted all them that call on this name in Jerusalem? And lo, for this very thing also, was he sent hither, that he might bind and carry them to the chief priests.
New Living Translation
All who heard him were amazed. "Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus' followers in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And didn't he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?"
New Life Bible
All who heard him were surprised and wondered. They said, "This is the man who beat and killed the followers in Jerusalem. He came here to tie the followers in chains and take them to the head religious leaders."
English Revised Version
And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havock of them which called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests.
New Revised Standard
All who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And all who were hearing were astonished, and began to say - is not, this, he who destroyed, in Jerusalem, them that invoke this name; and, here, for this purpose, had come, in order that he might lead them, bound, unto the High-priests?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all that heard him were astonished and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests?
King James Version
But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Lexham English Bible
And all who heard him were amazed, and were saying, "Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem on those who call upon this name, and had come here for this reason, that he could bring them tied up to the chief priests?"
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But all that hearde hym, were amased, and sayde: Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Hierusalem, and came hyther for that intent, that he myght bryng the bounde vnto the hye priestes?
Easy-to-Read Version
All the people who heard Saul were amazed. They said, "This is the same man who was in Jerusalem trying to destroy the people who trust in Jesus! And that's why he has come here—to arrest the followers of Jesus and take them back to the leading priests."
New American Standard Bible
All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, "Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"
Good News Translation
All who heard him were amazed and asked, "Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And alle men that herden hym, wondriden, and seiden, Whether this is not he that impugnede in Jerusalem hem that clepiden to help this name? and hidir he cam for this thing, that he schulde leede hem boundun to the princis of preestis?

Contextual Overview

10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Here I am, Lord," he answered. 11"Get up!" the Lord told him. "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13But Ananias answered, "Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name." 15"Go!" said the Lord. "This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name." 17So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. "Brother Saul," he said, "the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

amazed: Acts 2:6, Acts 2:12, Acts 4:13, Numbers 23:23, Psalms 71:7, Isaiah 8:18, Zechariah 3:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 John 3:1

Is not: Acts 3:10, Matthew 13:54, Matthew 13:55, Mark 5:15-20, John 9:8, John 9:9

destroyed: Acts 9:1, Acts 9:2, Acts 9:13, Acts 9:14, Acts 8:3, Galatians 1:13-24

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 10:11 - What is this 1 Samuel 19:24 - Is Saul Mark 1:22 - they were Acts 7:59 - calling Acts 22:4 - I persecuted Acts 26:10 - having 1 Corinthians 1:2 - with

Cross-References

Genesis 6:9
This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.
Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.
Genesis 9:4
But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.
Genesis 9:15
I will remember My covenant between Me and you and all living creatures: Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Genesis 9:16
And whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of every kind that is on the earth."
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
1 Corinthians 10:12
So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.
Galatians 5:21
and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But all that heard him were amazed,.... Not the disciples that believed in Christ, but the unbelievers, as appears from their words:

and said, is not this he that destroyed them that called on this name in Jerusalem? they do not express the name of Christ, out of malice and ill will; which shows who they were that said these words, and were astonished to hear Saul preaching in this name, and proving him to be the Son of God, and the true Messiah; when it was but a little while ago he consented to the death of Stephen, made havoc of the church, wasted and destroyed it as much as was in his power, and persecuted unto death such as called upon the name of Christ, or were called by his name, he could find in Jerusalem: nor did this satisfy him, for it follows,

and came hither, that is, to Damascus,

for that intent, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests: whom he should find professing or invocating the name of Christ, or bearing it; now to see and hear him preach this same name, was surprising to them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Were amazed - Amazed at his sudden and remarkable change.

That destroyed - That opposed; laid waste; persecuted. Compare Galatians 1:13.

For that intent - With that design, that he might destroy the church at Damascus.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 9:21. Is not this he that destroyed them — οπορθησας. The verb πορθειν has three acceptations in the Greek writers:

1. To treat one as an enemy, to spoil him of his goods.

2. To lead away captive, to imprison.

3. To slay.

Paul was properly πορθων, a destroyer, in all these senses.

1. He acted as the most determined enemy of the Christians: Being exceedingly mad against them, he persecuted them to strange cities, Acts 26:11.

2. He shut up many of the saints in prison, Acts 8:3; Acts 9:14; Acts 26:10.

3. He persecuted them unto death-gave his voice against them that they might be destroyed, and was a principal instrument in the martyrdom of Stephen. He breathed threatenings and slaughter. See Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1; Acts 9:1; Acts 26:10-11.

Therefore these three meanings of the original word are all exemplified in the conduct of Saul.


 
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