91 Now Saul , still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord , went to the high priest , 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus , so that if he found any belonging to the Way , both men and women , he might bring them bound to Jerusalem . 3 As he was traveling , it happened that he was approaching Damascus , and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul , Saul , why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said , "Who are You, Lord ?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting , 6 but get up and enter the city , and it will be told you what e you must do ." 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless , hearing the voice but seeing no one . 8 Saul got up from the ground , and though his eyes were open , he could see nothing ; and leading him by the hand , they brought him into Damascus . 9 And he was three days without sight , and neither ate nor drank .
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias ; and the Lord said to him in a vision , "Ananias ." And he said , "Here I am, Lord ." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight , and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul , for he is praying , 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight ." 13 But Ananias answered , "Lord , I have heard from many about this man , how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem ; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name ." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go , for he is a chosen instrument of Mine , to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel ; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake ." 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house , and after laying his hands on him said , " Brother Saul , the Lord Jesus , who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming , has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit ." 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales , and he regained his sight , and he got up and was baptized ; 19 and he took food and was strengthened . Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus ,
20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues , saying , "He is the Son of God ." 21 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 ?" 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ .
23 When many days had elapsed , the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul . They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death ; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall , lowering e him in a large basket .
26 When he came to Jerusalem , he was trying to associate with the disciples ; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple . 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road , and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus . 28 And he was with them, moving e e about e e freely e e in Jerusalem , speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord . 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death . 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus . 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace , being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit , it continued to increase .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 9:1-31
Commentary on Acts 9:1-9
(Read Acts 9:1-9)
So ill informed was Saul, that he thought he ought to do all he could against the name of Christ, and that he did God service thereby; he seemed to breathe in this as in his element. Let us not despair of renewing grace for the conversion of the greatest sinners, nor let such despair of the pardoning mercy of God for the greatest sin. It is a signal token of Divine favour, if God, by the inward working of his grace, or the outward events of his providence, stops us from prosecuting or executing sinful purposes. Saul saw that Just One, 14; 26:13. How near to us is the unseen world! It is but for God to draw aside the veil, and objects are presented to the view, compared with which, whatever is most admired on earth is mean and contemptible. Saul submitted without reserve, desirous to know what the Lord Jesus would have him to do. Christ's discoveries of himself to poor souls are humbling; they lay them very low, in mean thoughts of themselves. For three days Saul took no food, and it pleased God to leave him for that time without relief. His sins were now set in order before him; he was in the dark concerning his own spiritual state, and wounded in spirit for sin. When a sinner is brought to a proper sense of his own state and conduct, he will cast himself wholly on the mercy of the Saviour, asking what he would have him to do. God will direct the humbled sinner, and though he does not often bring transgressors to joy and peace in believing, without sorrows and distress of conscience, under which the soul is deeply engaged as to eternal things, yet happy are those who sow in tears, for they shall reap in joy.
Commentary on Acts 9:10-22
(Read Acts 9:10-22)
A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's feet with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never did Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee, the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessings of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them. Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Yet even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the commands of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scanty expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we are apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavours to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his former companions.
Commentary on Acts 9:23-31
(Read Acts 9:23-31)
When we enter into the way of God, we must look for trials; but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape. Though Saul's conversion was and is a proof of the truth of Christianity, yet it could not, of itself, convert one soul at enmity with the truth; for nothing can produce true faith, but that power which new-creates the heart. Believers are apt to be too suspicious of those against whom they have prejudices. The world is full of deceit, and it is necessary to be cautious, but we must exercise charity, 21. Christ's witnesses cannot be slain till they have finished their testimony. The persecutions were stayed. The professors of the gospel walked uprightly, and enjoyed much comfort from the Holy Ghost, in the hope and peace of the gospel, and others were won over to them. They lived upon the comfort of the Holy Ghost, not only in the days of trouble and affliction, but in days of rest and prosperity. Those are most likely to walk cheerfully, who walk circumspectly.