Acts 9:22
New International Version
Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

New Living Translation
Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

English Standard Version
But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

Berean Standard Bible
But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Berean Literal Bible
But Saul was empowered all the more and kept confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

King James Bible
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

New King James Version
But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

New American Standard Bible
But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

NASB 1995
But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

NASB 1977
But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this One is the Christ.

Amplified Bible
But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

Christian Standard Bible
But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Saul grew more capable and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

American Standard Version
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Contemporary English Version
Saul preached with such power that he completely confused the Jewish people in Damascus, as he tried to show them that Jesus is the Messiah.

English Revised Version
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul grew more powerful, and he confused the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

Good News Translation
But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not answer him.

International Standard Version
But Saul grew more and more persuasive, and continued to confound the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this man was the Messiah.

Majority Standard Bible
But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

NET Bible
But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

New Heart English Bible
But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Weymouth New Testament
Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as for the Jews living in Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs that Jesus is the Christ.

World English Bible
But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Saul was still more strengthened, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Berean Literal Bible
But Saul was empowered all the more and kept confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul was still more strengthened, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Saul was the more strengthened, and confounded the Jews dwelling in Damascus, demonstrating that this is the Christ.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But Saul was increasing to a greater extent in ability, and so he was confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus, by affirming that he is the Christ.

New American Bible
But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah.

New Revised Standard Version
Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But Saul became more powerful and he made the Jews who dwelt in Damascus tremble when he proved that Jesus is the Christ.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But Shaul was strengthened even more and was agitating those Jews who were dwelling in Darmsuq as he was showing that This One is The Messiah.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confuted the Jews that dwelt in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

Godbey New Testament
And Saul continued to be the more filled up with dynamite, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Haweis New Testament
But Saul was endued with still greater power, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, conclusively evincing that this person is the Messiah.

Mace New Testament
however Saul still gain'd ground, and confounded the Jews of Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Messias.

Weymouth New Testament
Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as for the Jews living in Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs that Jesus is the Christ.

Worrell New Testament
But Saul was being more empowered, and was confounding the Jews who were dwelling in Damascus; proving that this is the Christ.

Worsley New Testament
But Saul prevailed more and more, and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, fully proving that this same Jesus is the Christ.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Preaches at Damascus
21All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,…

Cross References
Galatians 1:23
They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

Acts 18:28
For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 17:3
explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.

Acts 2:36
Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”

Acts 13:33
He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’

Acts 22:15
You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

Acts 26:22-23
But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen: / that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, / that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Romans 1:4
and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Philippians 1:14-17
And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear. / It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. / The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ...

2 Corinthians 3:14-16
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. / And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. / But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Isaiah 53:3-5
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. / Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. / But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 42:1-4
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. / He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. / A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. ...

Jeremiah 31:31-34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. ...

Psalm 2:7
I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.


Treasury of Scripture

But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelled at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

increased.

Genesis 49:24
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Job 17:9
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

Psalm 84:7
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.

confounded.

Acts 6:9,10
Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen…

Acts 18:27,28
And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: …

Luke 21:15
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

proving.

Acts 17:3
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Acts 18:5
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

Acts 28:23
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

Jump to Previous
Able Answers Arguments Baffled Bewildered Christ Confounded Damascus Dwelling Dwelt Gained Grew However Increased Increasing Influence Jesus Jews Kept Power Powerful Proofs Proving Saul Strength Strengthened
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Able Answers Arguments Baffled Bewildered Christ Confounded Damascus Dwelling Dwelt Gained Grew However Increased Increasing Influence Jesus Jews Kept Power Powerful Proofs Proving Saul Strength Strengthened
Acts 9
1. Saul, going toward Damascus, is stricken down to the earth,
8. and led blind to Damascus;
10. is called to the apostleship;
18. and is baptized by Ananias.
20. He preaches Christ boldly.
23. The Jews lay wait to kill him;
29. so do the Grecians, but he escapes both.
31. The church having rest, Peter heals Aeneas;
36. and restores Tabitha to life.














But Saul
The transformation of Saul, later known as Paul, is one of the most profound narratives in the New Testament. Saul, a former persecutor of Christians, becomes a fervent advocate for the faith he once sought to destroy. His Hebrew name, Saul, means "asked for" or "prayed for," which is fitting as he becomes a vessel through which God answers the prayers of many for the spread of the Gospel.

grew more and more powerful
The Greek word for "grew" (ἐνεδυναμοῦτο, enedynamouto) suggests an increase in strength or empowerment. This empowerment is not merely physical or intellectual but spiritual, as Saul is filled with the Holy Spirit. His growth in power is a testament to the transformative work of God in a believer's life, emphasizing that true strength comes from divine empowerment rather than human effort.

and confounded the Jews
The word "confounded" (συνεχύνετο, synechyneto) implies causing confusion or bewilderment. Saul's arguments and teachings were so compelling and divinely inspired that they left the Jewish community in Damascus unable to refute his claims. This highlights the power of truth and the Holy Spirit's role in guiding believers to articulate their faith effectively.

living in Damascus
Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, serves as a significant backdrop for Saul's early ministry. Historically, it was a major cultural and commercial center, which made it a strategic location for the spread of Christianity. The presence of a Jewish community there indicates the widespread dispersion of Jews throughout the Roman Empire, providing fertile ground for the Gospel's expansion.

by proving that Jesus is the Christ
The Greek word for "proving" (συμβιβάζων, symbibazon) means to bring together or to demonstrate conclusively. Saul's ability to prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, is rooted in his deep understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures and his personal encounter with the risen Lord. This phrase underscores the central Christian claim that Jesus fulfills the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, a truth that Saul passionately and effectively communicated.

(22) But Saul increased the more in strength.--The tense implies a continuous growth in power, obviously in the spiritual power which enabled the Apostle to carry on his work. A comparison of dates suggests the connection of this growth with the special vision of 2Corinthians 12:8, when in answer to his prayer that the infirmity which he describes as "a thorn in his flesh, the minister of Satan to buffet him," he received the comforting assurance from the Lord whom he served--"My strength is made perfect in weakness." It is not without interest that in after years St. Paul once and again uses the same verb of himself--"I can do all things in Christ that strengthened me" (Philippians 4:13). It was Christ who "enabled him," or, made him strong, for his ministry (1Timothy 1:12); who "strengthened him" in the closing trials of his life (2Timothy 4:17). By some commentators the words are connected with the journey to Arabia as following on his first appearance as a preacher in the synagogues; but see Note on the previous verse.

Verse 22. - The Christ for very Christ, A.V. The repetition of the phrase ὅτι οῦτός ἐστιν (vers. 20 and 22) is remarkable. As already observed, it presupposes the mention of Jesus, of whom it is thus predicated that he is both "the Son of God" and "the Christ" (comp. Acts 2:32, 36; Acts 4:11, etc.). Observe the incidental proof of the general expectation of the Jews that Christ should come in this description of the apostolic preaching as directed to the one point that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

Saul
Σαῦλος (Saulos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4569: Saul, the apostle. Of Hebrew origin, the same as Saoul; Saulus, the Jewish name of Paul.

was empowered
ἐνεδυναμοῦτο (enedynamouto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1743: To fill with power, strengthen, make strong. From en and dunamoo; to empower.

all the more,
μᾶλλον (mallon)
Adverb
Strong's 3123: More, rather. Neuter of the comparative of the same as malista; more) or rather.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he confounded
συνέχυννεν (synechynnen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4797: Or sugchuno from sun and cheo or its alternate; to commingle promiscuously, i.e. to throw into disorder, to perplex.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative 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.

Jews
Ἰουδαίους (Ioudaious)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

living
κατοικοῦντας (katoikountas)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2730: To dwell in, settle in, be established in (permanently), inhabit. From kata and oikeo; to house permanently, i.e. Reside.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Damascus
Δαμασκῷ (Damaskō)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1154: Damascus. Of Hebrew origin; Damascus, a city of Syria.

by proving
συμβιβάζων (symbibazōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4822: From sun and bibazo (by reduplication) of the base of basis); to drive together, i.e. Unite, to infer, show, teach.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

[Jesus]
οὗτός (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative 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.

Christ.
Χριστός (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.


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NT Apostles: Acts 9:22 But Saul increased more in strength (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 9:21
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