Acts 9:6

George Lamsa Translation

* And he, trembling and astonished, said, LORD, what will you have me to do? And the LORD said to him, Arise and go into the city, and there you will be told what you must do.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

King James Version (1611)
And he trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou haue mee to doe? And the Lord said vnto him, Arise, and goe into the citie, and it shall be told thee what thou must doe.

King James Version
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

English Standard Version
But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

New American Standard Bible
but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do."

New Century Version
Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do."

Amplified Bible
now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do."

Legacy Standard Bible
but rise up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do."

Berean Standard Bible
"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Contemporary English Version
Now get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do."

Complete Jewish Bible
But get up, and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do."

Darby Translation
But rise up and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Easy-to-Read Version
Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do."

Geneva Bible (1587)
He then both trembling and astonied, sayd, Lord, what wilt thou that I doe? And the Lord sayd vnto him, Arise and goe into the citie, and it shall be tolde thee what thou shalt doe.

Good News Translation
"But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do."

Lexham English Bible
But get up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do."

Literal Translation
Both trembling and being astonished he said, Lord, what do You desire me to do? And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go into the city, and it will be told you what you must do.

American Standard Version
but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Bible in Basic English
But get up, and go into the town, and it will be made clear to you what you have to do.

Hebrew Names Version
But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

International Standard Version
But get up and go into the city, and it will be told you what you are to do."Luke 3:10; Acts 2:37; 16:30;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
but arise, go into Darmsuk, and there it will be spoken with thee concerning what thou must do.

Murdock Translation
But arise and go into the city, and there it will be told thee what thou oughtest to do.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he both tremblyng and astonyed, sayde: Lord, what wylt thou haue me to do? And the Lorde sayde vnto hym: Aryse, and go into the citie, and it shalbe tolde thee what thou must do.

English Revised Version
but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

World English Bible
But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Weymouth's New Testament
"But rise and go to the city, and you will be told what you are to do.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he tremblide, and wondride, and seide, Lord, what wolt thou that Y do?

Update Bible Version
but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] to him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

New English Translation
But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do."

New King James Version
So 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."

New Living Translation
Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

New Life Bible
Saul was shaken and surprised. Then he said, "What do You want me to do, Lord?" The Lord said to him, "Get up! Go into the city and you will be told what to do."

New Revised Standard
But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But rise up, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he, trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

Revised Standard Version
but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he bothe tremblynge and astonyed sayde: Lorde what wilt thou have me to do? And ye Lorde sayde vnto him: aryse and goo into the cite and it shalbe tolde the what thou shalt do.

Young's Literal Translation
trembling also, and astonished, he said, `Lord, what dost thou wish me to do?' and the Lord [said] unto him, `Arise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he both tremblinge and astonnyed, sayde: LORDE what wilt thou that I shal do? The LORDE sayde vnto him: Aryse, and go into the cite, there shal it be tolde the what thou shalt do.

Mace New Testament (1729)
then trembling with the fright Saul said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said to him,]  but rise, and go into the city, and you shall be told what you must do.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Now get back on and go to the city. Wait there, and you'll be told what to do."

Contextual Overview

¹ NOW Saul was still filled with anger and with threats of murder against the disciples of our LORD, ² And he asked the high priests to give him letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he should find anyone, men or women, following this faith, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly a light from the sky shone round about him; ⁴ And he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? You make it hard for yourself by kicking against the pricks. ⁵ Saul answered and said, Who are you my LORD? and our LORD said, I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you persecute: ⁶ * And he, trembling and astonished, said, LORD, what will you have me to do? And the LORD said to him, Arise and go into the city, and there you will be told what you must do. ⁷ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing only a voice, but seeing no man. ⁸ And Saul arose from the ground, but he could not see even though his eyes were open; and they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was unable to see for three days during which he neither ate nor drank.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

trembling: Acts 16:29, Acts 24:25, Acts 24:26, 1 Samuel 28:5, Isaiah 66:2, Habakkuk 3:16, Philippians 2:12

what: Acts 2:37, Acts 16:30, Acts 22:10, Luke 3:10, Romans 7:9, Romans 10:3, James 4:6

Arise: Acts 9:15, Acts 26:16, Ezekiel 16:6-8, Matthew 19:30, Romans 5:20, Romans 9:15-24, Romans 10:20, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:16, 1 Timothy 1:14-16

and it: Acts 10:6, Acts 10:22, Acts 10:32, Acts 11:13, Acts 11:14, Psalms 25:8, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 25:12, Psalms 94:12, Isaiah 57:18

Reciprocal: Joshua 5:14 - What saith Judges 13:8 - teach us 1 Samuel 3:9 - Speak 1 Samuel 16:3 - and I will show 1 Chronicles 21:19 - went up Job 42:9 - did Jeremiah 18:2 - cause Ezekiel 2:1 - stand Ezekiel 3:22 - Arise Daniel 3:24 - astonied Daniel 10:11 - I stood Matthew 17:7 - Arise Mark 10:17 - what Luke 1:34 - General Luke 16:3 - What John 2:5 - Whatsoever John 6:28 - What Acts 10:4 - What 1 Corinthians 9:16 - for Philippians 4:9 - do James 4:7 - Submit

Cross-References

Genesis 4:14
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the land; and from thy face shall I be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth; and it shall come to pass, that whoever finds me shall slay me.

Genesis 5:1
THIS is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God created he him;

Genesis 9:2
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moves upon the earth, and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered.

Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Genesis 9:5
And surely your lifeblood will I f avenge; of every beast will I avenge it, and at the hand of man; and at the hand of a man and his brother will I avenge the life of man.

Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of men, by men shall his blood be shed; for man was made in the image of God.

Genesis 9:12
And God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

Genesis 9:14
And it shall come to pass, when I bring clouds over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the clouds;

Genesis 9:26
Then he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.

Genesis 9:27
God shall enrich Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem: and Canaan shall be their servant.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he trembling and astonished,.... At the light and voice, and appearance of Christ, and especially at the words last spoken; he was now pricked to the heart, and filled with a sense of sin, and loaded with guilt, and had dreadful apprehensions of his state and condition, on account of his past wickedness, and the present course of sin he was in: so persons under first convictions "tremble" at the sight of their sins, which rise up like so many ghosts, and stare them in the face, and load their consciences with guilt; at the swarms of corruptions they see in their carts, which appear to them an habitation of devils, a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird; at the curses of a righteous law which threatens with damnation and death; at the future judgment, and the apprehensions of divine wrath; and at the voice and word of God, which strikes terror, cuts them to the heart, and like an hammer breaks the rock in pieces: and they are "astonished" at their own wickedness and vileness, which they had no conception of before; at the sparing mercy and forbearance of God, who has continued them in being, and not sent them to hell, to be among devils and damned spirits; at the light around by which they see their sins, the plague of their own hearts, the insufficiency of their own righteousness, their lost state by nature, and need of salvation by Christ; and at the doctrines of the Gospel, so far as they have light into them; and at the person of Christ, and at his Father's love and his in procuring salvation for them:

said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? he was willing to do any thing he should him to, whereby he might make satisfaction for the injury he had done him, and by which he might be saved; for he was still upon the covenant of works, as persons under first convictions commonly are:

and the Lord said unto him; this, with all that goes before in this verse, is wanting in the Alexandrian copy, and Syriac version: "arise and go into the city"; that is, of Damascus, as the Ethiopic version reads:

and it shall be told thee what thou must do; what was appointed for him to do, Acts 22:10 and there it was told him both what he should do and suffer for Christ, but not to obtain salvation; and this was done internally by the Spirit of God, who instructed him in the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel, and externally by Ananias: in two of Beza's copies, and in the Syriac version, it is read, "there shall it be told thee", &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he, trembling - Alarmed at what he saw and heard, and at the consciousness of his own evil course. It is not remarkable that a sinner trembles when he sees his guilt and danger.

And astonished - At what he saw.

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? - This indicates a subdued soul, a humbled spirit. Just before, he had sought only to do his own will; now he inquired what was the will of the Saviour. Just before he was acting under a commission from the Sanhedrin; now he renounced their authority, and asked what the Lord Jesus would have him to do. Just before he had been engaged in a career of opposition to the Lord Jesus; now he sought at once to do his will. This indicates the usual change in the mind of the sinner when he is converted. The great controversy between him and God is, whose will shall be followed. The sinner follows his own; the first act of the Christian is to surrender his own will to that of God, and to resolve to do what he requires. We may further remark here that this indicates the true nature of conversion. It is decided, prompt immediate. Paul did not debate the matter Galatians 1:16; he did not inquire what the scribes and Pharisees would say; he did not consult his own reputation; he did not ask what the world would think. With characteristic promptness - with a readiness which showed what he would yet be, he gave himself up at once, and entirely, to the Lord Jesus, evidently with a purpose to do his will alone. This was the case also with the jailor at Philippi, Acts 16:30. Nor can there be any real conversion where the heart and will are not given to the Lord Jesus, to be directed and moulded by him at his pleasure. We may test our conversion then by the example of the apostle Paul. If our hearts have been given up as his was, we are true friends of Christ.

Go into the city - Damascus. They were near it, Acts 9:3.

And it shall be told thee - It is remarkable that he was thus directed. But we may learn from it:

(1) That even in the most striking and remarkable cases of conversion, there is not at once a clear view of duty. What course of life should be followed; what should be done; nay, what should be believed, is not at once apparent.

(2) The aid of others, and especially ministers, and of experienced Christians, is often very desirable to aid even those who are converted in the most remarkable manner. Saul was converted by a miracle; the Saviour appeared to him in his glory; of the truth of his Messiahship he had no doubt, but still he was dependent on an humble disciple in Damascus to be instructed in what he should do.

(3) Those who are converted, in however striking a manner it may be, should be willing to seek the counsel of those who are in the church before them. The most striking evidence of their conversion will not prevent their deriving important direction and benefit from the aged, the experienced, and the wise in the Christian church.

(4) Such remarkable conversions are suited to induce the subjects of the change to seek counsel and direction. They produce humility; a deep sense of sin and of unworthiness; and a willingness to be taught and directed by anyone who can point out the way of duty and of life.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 9:6. Trembling — Under a strong apprehension of meeting the judgment he deserved.

And astonished — At the light, the thunder, and the voice.

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? — The word κυριε, Lord, is here to be understood in its proper sense, as expressing authority and dominion: in the 5th verse it appears to be equivalent to our word sir.

The pride of the Pharisee is now brought down to the dust; and the fury of the persecutor is not only restrained, but the lion becomes a lamb. What wilt thou have me to do? Wilt thou condescend to employ me among thy meanest servants?

Go into the city, and it shall be told thee, c.] Jesus could have informed him at once what was his will concerning him but he chose to make one of those very disciples whom he was going to bring in bonds to Jerusalem the means of his salvation:

1. To show that God will help man by man, that they may learn to love and respect each other.

2. That in the benevolence of Ananias he might see the spirit and tendency of that religion which he was persecuting, and of which he was shortly to become an apostle.