Acts 9:18

Mace New Testament

immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recover'd his sight; upon which he instantly arose, and was baptized.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Right then Saul's eyes were opened, and something like scales fell from them. He got up and immediately got baptized.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

Legacy Standard Bible
And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he rose up and was baptized;

Bible in Basic English
And straight away it seemed as if a veil was taken from his eyes, and he was able to see; and he got up, and had baptism;

Darby Translation
And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he saw, and rising up was baptised;

New King James Version
Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

Christian Standard Bible®
At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

World English Bible
Immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And immediately as it were scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight, and arose and was baptized.

Weymouth's New Testament
Instantly there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be scales, and he could see once more. Upon this he rose and received baptism;

King James Version (1611)
And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, and he receiued sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Literal Translation
And instantly it was as if scales fell away from his eyes. And rising up at the thing happening, he was baptized.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, and he receaued his sighte, and rose, and was baptysed,

Amplified Bible
Immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized;

American Standard Version
And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;

Revised Standard Version
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And immediatly ther fell from his eyes as it had bene scales and he receaved syght and arose and was baptised

Update Bible Version
And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;

Webster's Bible Translation
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Young's Literal Translation
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, he saw again also presently, and having risen, was baptized,

New Century Version
Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again! Then Saul got up and was baptized.

New English Translation
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

Berean Standard Bible
At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,

Contemporary English Version
Suddenly something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see. He got up and was baptized.

Complete Jewish Bible
In that moment, something like scales fell away from Sha'ul's eyes; and he could see again. He got up and was immersed;

English Standard Version
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, & suddenly he receiued sight, and arose, and was baptized,

George Lamsa Translation
And in that hour, there fell from his eyes something like scales; and his eyesight was restored; and he arose and was baptized.

Hebrew Names Version
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was immersed.

International Standard Version
All at once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

Etheridge Translation
And instantly there fell from his eyes something which was like to scales; and his eyes were opened, and, arising, he was baptized.

Murdock Translation
And immediately there fell from his eyes something like a scab; and his eyes were opened. And he arose and was baptized.

New Living Translation
Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

New Life Bible
At once something like a covering fell from the eyes of Saul and he could see. He got up and was baptized.

English Revised Version
And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;

New Revised Standard
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, straightway, there fell from him - from his eyes, - as it were scales; he recovered sight also, and, arising, was immersed:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales: and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized.

King James Version
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Lexham English Bible
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight and got up and was baptized,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had ben scales, & he receaued syght foorthwith, and arose, and was baptized,

Easy-to-Read Version
Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell off Saul's eyes. He was able to see! Then he got up and was baptized.

New American Standard Bible
And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

Good News Translation
At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And anoon as the scalis felden fro hise iyen, he resseyuede siyt. And he roos, and was baptisid.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, to whom the Lord said in a vision, Ananias! and he said, Lord, here I am. ¹¹ and the Lord said unto him, arise, and go to the street called Straight, and enquire at the house of Judas, for one Saul of Tarsus: for he is there at prayer. ¹² (at that very instant Saul saw in a vision the said Ananias come in, and put his hand on him, to restore his sight.) ¹³ then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many that this man has done a world of mischief to thy saints at Jerusalem: he is now here, ¹⁴ and is impower'd by the chief priests, to imprison all that make profession of thy name. ¹⁵ go, said the Lord to him: for he is the instrument I have chosen, to bear my name to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the children of Israel. ¹⁶ for I will make him see how much he must suffer for my name. ¹⁷ Ananias therefore departed, and being arrived at the house, he put his hands on Saul, and said, brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared to you on your journey hither, hath sent me, that you might obtain your sight, and be filled with the holy spirit. ¹⁸ immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he recover'd his sight; upon which he instantly arose, and was baptized. ¹⁹ and when he had taken some food, he was refresh'd. after which Saul staid some time with the disciples at Damascus.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

immediately: 2 Corinthians 3:14, 2 Corinthians 4:6

and was: Acts 2:38, Acts 2:41, Acts 13:12, Acts 13:13, Acts 13:37, Acts 13:38, Acts 22:16

Reciprocal: Isaiah 35:5 - the eyes Matthew 28:19 - baptizing Mark 16:18 - they shall lay Acts 9:8 - he saw Acts 9:12 - General Acts 26:18 - open Acts 28:8 - laid Galatians 3:27 - as many

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales,.... Which were little thin skins or films, like the scales of fishes, which were formed from the defluxions that fell from his brain, through the excessive light that shone around him, and the surprise he was thrown into by it: these, as soon as Ananias put his hands upon him, dropped off; which were an emblem and representation of the scales of ignorance, of himself, of sin, of righteousness, of the law, of the Gospel, and of Jesus as the Messiah; and of unbelief in him, and of pride, malice, and envy, and of superstition and bigotry, and of error and false doctrine, which, upon his being enlightened by the Spirit of God, fell from him:

and he received sight forthwith; his corporeal sight, which was an emblem of that spiritual sight he had also received: the word "forthwith", or "immediately", is not in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, but seems necessary; and indeed, if it was not expressed, it would be understood; for as soon as the scales fell from his eyes, he must receive his sight: the Ethiopic version places it after the word "baptized", in the next clause:

and arose, and was baptized; that is, after Ananias had appointed it to him, as his duty, had pressed him to it, and called upon him to submit to it without delay, Acts 22:16 And this shows that baptism was performed by immersion; for had it been done in any other way, either by pouring or sprinkling a little water, Saul might have kept his seat, and water might have been brought to him, and so the ordinance might have been performed; but he arose and went, either to a bath that might be in Judas's house, fit for such a purpose; for the Jews had their baths to bathe their whole bodies in on certain occasions; or he went to some certain place of water without doors, convenient for the administration of baptism, where it was administered by Ananias unto him. And this also may suggest to us, that only enlightened persons are the proper objects of this ordinance; such as have the scales of darkness, ignorance, and unbelief removed from them, and have a spiritual sight and sense of divine things: hence the ancients used to call baptism by the name of φωτισμος, "illumination", and baptized persons "enlightened" ones.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As it had been scales - ὡσεὶ λεπίδες hōsei lepides. The word ὡσεὶ hōsei, “as it had been,” is designed to qualify the following word. It is not said that scales literally fell from his eyes, but that an effect followed as if scales had been suddenly taken off. Evidently, the expression is deigned to mean no more than this. The effect was such as would take place if some dark, imperious substance had been placed before the eyes, and had been suddenly removed. The cure was as sudden, the restoration to sight was as immediate, as if such an interposing substance had been suddenly removed. This is all that the expression fairly implies, and this is all that the nature of the case demands. As the blindness had been caused by the natural effect of the light, probably on the optic nerve (Acts 9:8-9, note), it is manifest that no literal removing of scales would restore the vision. We are therefore to lay aside the idea of literal scales falling to the earth. No such thing is affirmed, and no such thing would have met the case. The word translated “scales” is used nowhere else in the New Testament. It means properly “the small crust or layer which composes a part of the covering of a fish, and also any thin layer or leaf exfoliated or separated, as scales of iron, bone, or a piece of bark, etc.” (Webster). An effect similar to this is described in Tobit 11:8, 13. It is evident that there was a miracle in the healing of Saul. The “blindness” was the natural effect of the light. The “cure” was by miraculous power. This is evident:

(1) Because there were no means used that would naturally restore the sight. It may be remarked here that “gutta serena” has been regarded by physicians as one of the most incurable of diseases. Few cases are restored, and few remedies are efficacious (See the Edinburgh Encyclopedia’s “Surgery” on Amaurosis.)

(2) Ananias was sent for this very purpose to heal him, Acts 9:17.

(3) The immediate effect shows that this was miraculous. Had it been a slow recovery, it might have been doubtful; but here it was instantaneous, and it was thus put beyond a question that it was a miracle.

And was baptized - In this he followed the example of all the early converts to Christianity. They were baptized immediately. See Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12, Acts 8:36-39.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 9:18. There fell from his eyes as it had been scales — This was real: he had been so dazzled with the brightness of the light that we may suppose the globe of the eye, and particularly the cornea, had suffered considerable injury. The structure of the cornea was doubtless much disturbed, and the whole of that humour would be rendered opaque, and incapable of permitting the rays of light to pass through the different humours to the retina, where all the images of things transmitted through the lenses, or humours, are distinctly painted. In the miraculous cure the membrane was restored to its primitive state, and the opaque matter separated from the cornea, in the form of thin laminae or scales. This being done, the light would have as free a passage as formerly, and the result would be distinct vision.

And arose, and was baptized. — That he was baptized by Ananias there is every reason to believe; as he appears to have been the chief Christian at Damascus. As baptism implied, in an adult, the public profession of that faith into which he was baptized, this baptism of Saul proved, at once, his own sincerity, and the deep and thorough conviction he had of the truth of Christianity.