Acts 22:9
New International Version
My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

New Living Translation
The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.

English Standard Version
Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

Berean Standard Bible
My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

Berean Literal Bible
And those being with me indeed beheld the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One speaking to me.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.

New American Standard Bible
And those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

NASB 1995
“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.

NASB 1977
“And those who were with me beheld the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

Legacy Standard Bible
And those who were with me beheld the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

Amplified Bible
Now those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

Christian Standard Bible
Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me.”

American Standard Version
And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

Contemporary English Version
Those who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice.

English Revised Version
And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"The men who were with me saw the light but didn't understand what the person who was speaking to me said.

Good News Translation
The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

International Standard Version
The men who were with me saw the light but didn't understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

Majority Standard Bible
My companions saw the light and were terrified, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

NET Bible
Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

New Heart English Bible
"Those who were with me indeed saw the light, and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
"Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.

World English Bible
“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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they who are with me saw the light, and became afraid, and they did not hear the voice of Him who is speaking to me—

Berean Literal Bible
And those being with me indeed beheld the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One speaking to me.

Young's Literal Translation
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 --

Smith's Literal Translation
And they being with me truly saw the light, and were terrified; but they heard not the voice of him speaking to me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they that were with me, saw indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke with me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And those who were with me, indeed, saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who was speaking with me.

New American Bible
My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.

New Revised Standard Version
Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice that spoke to me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice which was speaking to me.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
They who were with me saw the light, and were afraid, but did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

Godbey New Testament
And those being along with me saw the light indeed, but heard not the voice of the one speaking to me.

Haweis New Testament
Now they who were with me saw the light indeed, and were terrified; but the voice of him that spake to me heard they not.

Mace New Testament
the company actually saw the light, but did not hear the voice of him that spoke to me.

Weymouth New Testament
"Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.

Worrell New Testament
And those who were with me beheld, indeed, the light, but they did not understand the voice of Him Who spake to me.

Worsley New Testament
And they that were with me saw the light indeed, and were affrighted; but they did not hear the voice of Him that spake to me.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Defense to the Crowd
8‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me. 10Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’…

Cross References
Acts 9:7
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.

Acts 26:14
We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

John 12:29
The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.

Daniel 10:7
Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.

2 Kings 6:17
Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

John 5:37
And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form,

John 10:4-5
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. / But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”

Matthew 17:6-7
When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror. / Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Do not be afraid.”

Exodus 20:18-19
When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance. / “Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”

1 Samuel 3:4-10
Then the LORD called to Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” / He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. / Once again the LORD called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” “My son, I did not call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” ...

Genesis 3:8-10
Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. / But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?” / “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Isaiah 6:8-9
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!” / And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

Ezekiel 1:28
The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.

Matthew 13:13-15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

John 8:43
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

saw.

Acts 9:7
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Daniel 10:7
And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

but.

John 12:29,30
The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him…

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Acts 22
1. Paul declares how he was converted to the faith,
17. and called to his apostleship.
22. At the very mentioning of the Gentiles the people exclaim on him.
24. He would have been scourged;
25. but claiming the privilege of a Roman, he escapes.














My companions saw the light
This phrase indicates that Paul's companions were witnesses to the supernatural event on the road to Damascus. The "light" is often interpreted as the glory of God, similar to the Shekinah glory seen in the Old Testament (Exodus 24:17). This light is a manifestation of divine presence, aligning with other biblical accounts where God's presence is accompanied by light (e.g., Matthew 17:2 during the Transfiguration). The fact that the companions saw the light but did not understand the voice suggests a selective revelation, emphasizing Paul's unique calling and experience.

but they could not understand the voice
The inability of Paul's companions to understand the voice highlights the personal nature of God's call to Paul. This mirrors other biblical instances where God speaks directly to individuals, such as Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:4) or Samuel in the temple (1 Samuel 3:4-10). The Greek term used here can mean "to hear" or "to understand," suggesting that while they heard a sound, the message was not comprehensible to them. This selective hearing underscores the specific and personal nature of divine revelation.

of the One speaking to me
The "One" refers to Jesus Christ, who is identified as the speaker in Acts 9:5. This encounter is pivotal in Paul's conversion and mission as an apostle to the Gentiles. It fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 42:6, where God promises to make His servant a light to the nations. The personal address from Jesus to Paul signifies a direct commissioning, similar to the calling of prophets in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8-9) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-5). This encounter marks a transformative moment in Paul's life, setting the stage for his future ministry and the spread of the Gospel.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul (formerly Saul)
The apostle recounting his conversion experience on the road to Damascus.

2. Companions of Paul
The men traveling with Paul who witnessed the light but did not understand the voice.

3. The Light
A divine manifestation of Jesus Christ, appearing to Paul during his conversion.

4. The Voice
The voice of Jesus Christ speaking directly to Paul, calling him to a new mission.

5. Damascus
The destination of Paul’s journey, where he intended to persecute Christians before his conversion.
Teaching Points
Selective Revelation
God sometimes reveals Himself selectively, as seen in the companions' inability to understand the voice. This reminds us that spiritual understanding is a gift from God.

Divine Encounter
Paul's experience emphasizes the transformative power of a personal encounter with Christ. Believers should seek and be open to such encounters in their own lives.

Spiritual Perception
The companions' experience illustrates the difference between physical sight and spiritual insight. We should pray for spiritual discernment to understand God's voice.

God’s Sovereignty
The event underscores God's sovereign choice in calling individuals for His purposes. We should trust in His plans and timing for our lives.

Witnessing to Others
Even when others do not understand or perceive God's work, like Paul's companions, we are called to be faithful witnesses of our experiences with Christ.(9) They heard not the voice . . .--i.e., they did not hear it as a voice uttering articulate words. It was for them as though it thundered. (See Notes on Acts 9:7, and John 12:29.)

Verse 9. - Beheld for saw, A.V. Beheld indeed the light [and were afraid, A.V.]. This corresponds with the statement in Acts 9:7, that the men who journeyed with Saul "stood speechless." They were dazzled and amazed at the sudden brightness. But they heard not the voice. This at first sight seems inconsistent with the statement in Acts 9:7, "hearing the voice." But the apparent inconsistency disappears when we observe that here St. Paul wished to impress upon his hearers that, though his companions had seen the light, they had not heard the words which were addressed to him by the Lord Jesus (see ver. 14); whereas St. Luke, in the narrative in Acts 9, wished rather to insist upon the fact that though the men had seen the light and heard the sound of the voice, they had not seen Jesus. To see and hear the risen Christ was a privilege given to St. Paul alone.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
My companions
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

saw
ἐθεάσαντο (etheasanto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2300: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. perceive; by extension to visit.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

light,
φῶς (phōs)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

they could not understand
ἤκουσαν (ēkousan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

voice
φωνὴν (phōnēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5456: Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.

of the [One]
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

speaking
λαλοῦντός (lalountos)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

to me.
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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