Paul’s Testimony told by Luke
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?” “Who are You, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
Acts 9:3-9
Paul addressing the crowd on the steps of the Temple in Jerusalem
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.
But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’ But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.
Acts 22:3-11
Paul addressing Agrippa in Caesarea
“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.”
Acts 26:9-20
- Isn’t there a contradiction between 9:7 and 22:9?
- Did the men with Saul hear the voice or not?
At the heart of the matter is Acts 22:9 which in some English versions is translated “did not hear the voice” and in other versions translated as “did not understand the voice”.
Did not hear the voice:
- (ASV) And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
- (CEV) The men who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice.
- (EMTV) “And those who were with me observed the light and became terrified, but they did not hear the voice of the One speaking to me.
- (GNB) The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
- (JUB) And those that were with me saw indeed the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of him that spoke to me.
- (KJV) And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
- (LEB) (Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.)
- (LITV) But those being with me indeed saw the light, and were alarmed, but did not hear His voice speaking to me.
- (MKJV) And they who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid. But they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
- (Murdock) And the men who were with me, saw the light, but heard not the voice that talked with me.
- (RV) And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
- (Webster) And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.
- (YLT) and they who are with me the light did see, and became afraid, and the voice they heard not of him who is speaking to me–
Did not understand the voice:
- (ERV) The men who were with me did not understand the voice, but they saw the light.
- (ESV) Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
- (GW) “The men who were with me saw the light but didn’t understand what the person who was speaking to me said.
- (ISV) The men who were with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
- (NASB) “And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
- (NLT) The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.
- (TLV) “Now those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
- (WEBA) “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
Other Variations:
- (AMP) Now the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear [the sound of the uttered words of] the voice of the One Who was speaking to me [so that they could understand it].
- (BBE) And those who were with me saw the light, but the voice of him who was talking to me came not to their ears.
- (MSG) My companions saw the light, but they didn’t hear the conversation.
There in summary is what is available to you from the various translations. Clearly “did not hear” is in the majority. 13 versions for “did not hear” and 8 versions for “did not understand”. But is the majority always right? What do we do now? Isn’t this the issue that faces you in your home group or cell group when you are confronted with issues like this? You debate a particular verse and then go around the group to see what everyone thinks. You all offer your opinion and then finally you turn to the Bible to see how the various versions handle the matter. Oh no, the versions are split just like us. The versions have it 13 to 8 in favour of “did not hear” but our group are split the other way. 12 to 8 in favour of “didn’t understand”. Now what do we do? Exactly. Therein lies the dilemma. So think about it some more. What do you think? How do you get out of this predicament? Because isn’t this exactly what you face everytime you try to discuss Scripture in your cell group? You either run head on into the variations among the versions or you come up against the variety of opinion in the group based on experience, theological viewpoints, or even past church affiliation. We are at an impasse! Or are we?
What do you think?
What would you do now? Answers in the next Gem.
If you dare, send me your suggestions for what to do now. How do we get out of this dilemma?
In the meantime:
Who were the men travelling with Saul?
Yes to the shock of some of you, there were men travelling with Saul. He was not alone as is so often assumed. The text makes it clear that Saul had travelling companions. Each of the verses in focus with our hear or understand dilemma make it clear that Saul had travelling companions. Whereas the verse which starts this segment makes it seem as though Saul travelled alone. (9:3, 22:6, 26:12) If we don’t notice the subtle change in the text on the other verse then we could conclude that Saul was alone and miss the presence of “the men with me” “those who were with me” or the even more subtle “when we had all fallen”.
So who were they?
Either they were officially with Saul or unofficially with him. If assigned to be with him, then they were members of a “police force” likely from the Temple to assist him to round up the Christians and punishing them. But in all probability these men were not officially part of his force and more likely to simply be fellow travellers. In those days people travelled in a “caravan” for protection. It was often dangerous to venture out beyond the cities and towns as marauding bands of bandits or insurrectionists or simply opposing tribes lay in wait for weary travellers, especially those travelling alone. (Not much has changed has it?) So people travelled together in camel caravans or groups of wagons and carts to protect one another. If that were the case there would likely be women and children accompanying them as well. Yet we have in the text “the men with me”. Either Saul or Luke are simply just not mentioning the fact that there were women there or they were not mentioned because it was only a group or men. In which case it may well have been a specific group sent by the Sanhedrin to help Saul round up the people of The Way. Bottom line – you decide. Add that to the earlier dilemma as well.
Growth doesn’t come from learning. It comes from APPLYING what you have learned.
Sidney Mohede
You can speak louder than your opponent in order to win the argument, but what have you gained? Arguments are not won by shouting the other person down.
Anon
Listen and understand why the other person holds the view they do. Weigh up the arguments and evidence before you come to your conclusion.
Anon
The moment you change your position to follow the majority you have taken a backward step.
Ian Vail
Sometimes problems don’t require a solution to solve them instead they require maturity to outgrow them.
Jose Carol
Or the patience to let them sit and leave them for the moment when God pulls back the curtain and gives you understanding.
Ian Vail