83 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter,.... The historian having given an account of the dispersion of all the preachers of the Gospel at Jerusalem, excepting the apostles, and of their success in other parts, especially of Philip's, returns to the history of Saul; who, not satisfied with the murder of Stephen, and with the havoc he...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. The famous story of St. Paul's conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it. 1. How he was first awakened and wrought upon by an appearance of Christ himself to him as he was going upon an errand of persecution to Damascus: and what a condition...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. His very breath was hot with malice against the saints, he could...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,- Notice that little word “yet.” “Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord;” but there was to be a point beyond which he could not go. I pray God that there may be such a “yet” as that put...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And desired of him letters to Damascus,.... Damascus was the head or metropolis of Syria, Isaiah 7:8 And so Pliny (z) calls it Damascus of Syria: it was a very ancient city; it was in the times of Abraham; his servant Eliezer is said to be of it, Genesis 15:2 and some say it was built by him the said Eliezer; though Josephus (a) makes Uz, a...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. He wanted his hunting-ground enlarged; he had not enough to gratify his malice among the thousands of believers in Jerusalem, so he must go to Damascus to hunt out the Christians...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus,.... Some say it was a mile from Damascus: though, no mention is made of his obtaining letters from the high priest, only of his desiring them; yet there is no doubt but they were granted him; the design of the historian, under a divine direction, being to give an account of the temper and disposition of...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: When speaking before Agrippa, Paul said that it was “a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun.” Was it not that very Shekinah which of old had shone forth between the cherubim over the mercy-seat?
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus. There was his prey before him, and the wolf was ready to leap upon it.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who are thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. So it is when God means to save a man. He will make...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: The lion is about to leap upon his prey. The sheepfold lies in the valley and the wolf surveys it from the hill-side. “Alas for the Church of God at Damascus!” you and I would have said if we had been there. Act_9:3. And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: A supernatural blaze, as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he fell to the earth,.... Not being able to bear the light, and still less the divine glory and majesty which he perceived was present; and therefore, in great confusion, amazement, and fear, he fell with his face to the ground, and lay there prostrate and so did also those that were with him, Acts 26:14 and heard a voice, saying unto him,...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. There is something very characteristic about Christ’s answer to Saul’s question. He did not say, “It is hard for me;”...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Most people are converted in a somewhat similar fashion to this. There is “a light from heaven” shining through the gospel upon them, they fall to the ground in penitent self-abasement, and then they hear the voice of the Son of God speaking to their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, who art thou, Lord?.... For he knew not whether it was God, or an angel, or who it was that spake to him; he knew not Christ by his form or voice, as Stephen did, when he saw him standing at the right hand of God; he was in a state of ignorance, and knew neither the person, nor voice of Christ, and yet his heart was so far softened...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he said Who art thou. Lord? And the lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks I do not doubt that he had been already pricked in his conscience, and he had kicked out as an ox kicks against the ox-goad when he is pricked by it to make him go forward. Saul was a man of strong will and determined...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he trembling and astonished — Finding that Jesus, whom he thought to be dead and buried, and those followers he was so violently opposing, was yet alive, —
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no men: but they led him by the hand, and...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? What a sudden change! Before, he knew what he was going to do. He was going to do his own will and wreak his own vengeance, but now it is, “Lord. what wilt thou have me to do? My will is in a moment subdued. What is it thou dost ask of me?”