Acts 9:26
New International Version
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

New Living Translation
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

English Standard Version
And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.

Berean Standard Bible
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Berean Literal Bible
And having arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to join the disciples, and all were afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple.

King James Bible
And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

New King James Version
And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

New American Standard Bible
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple.

NASB 1995
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.

NASB 1977
And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Legacy Standard Bible
And 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.

Amplified Bible
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

Christian Standard Bible
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple.

American Standard Version
And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Contemporary English Version
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the followers. But they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a true follower.

English Revised Version
And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But everyone was afraid of him. They wouldn't believe that he was a disciple.

Good News Translation
Saul went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples. But they would not believe that he was a disciple, and they were all afraid of him.

International Standard Version
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they all were afraid of him because they wouldn't believe he was a disciple.

Majority Standard Bible
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

NET Bible
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.

New Heart English Bible
When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

Weymouth New Testament
So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.

World English Bible
When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, tried to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple,

Berean Literal Bible
And having arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to join the disciples, and all were afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple.

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, did try to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Saul being present in Jerusalem, tried to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he was come into Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to the disciples; and they all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

New American Bible
When he arrived in Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

New Revised Standard Version
When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Saul went to Jerusalem, and wanted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, and could not believe that he was a convert.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he went on to Jerusalem, and he wanted to join the disciples and they were all afraid of him and they did not believe that he was a disciple.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And having come to Jerusalem, he attempted to associate with the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.

Godbey New Testament
And arriving in Jerusalem, he was endeavoring to join himself to the disciples: and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Haweis New Testament
But when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not crediting that he was a disciple.

Mace New Testament
when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he try'd to associate himself with the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and could not be persuaded that he was a disciple.

Weymouth New Testament
So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.

Worrell New Testament
Now, having come to Jerusalem, he was trying to join himself to the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Worsley New Testament
And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he attempted to associate with the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul in Jerusalem
25One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall. 26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.…

Cross References
Galatians 1:18-19
Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days. / But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

Acts 22:17-21
Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance / and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’ / ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You. ...

Acts 26:20
First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

1 Corinthians 15:9
For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

2 Corinthians 11:32-33
In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me. / But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.

Acts 8:1-3
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. / God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. / But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Acts 11:25-26
Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, / and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

Acts 13:1-3
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul. / While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 15:2
And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

Acts 21:17-18
When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully. / The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.

Matthew 10:17
But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.

John 15:18-20
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. / If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. / Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Philippians 3:6
as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

Romans 15:31
Pray that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there,


Treasury of Scripture

And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

when.

Acts 22:17
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;

Acts 26:20
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Galatians 1:17-19
Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus…

he assayed.

Acts 9:19
And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

Acts 4:23
And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

but.

Matthew 10:17-19
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; …

Matthew 24:10
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Galatians 2:4
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Jump to Previous
Afraid Assayed Associate Attempt Attempted Attempts Believe Believed Believing Disciple Disciples Doubt Essayed Fear Jerusalem Join Joined Really Saul Several Tried Try Trying Whether
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Afraid Assayed Associate Attempt Attempted Attempts Believe Believed Believing Disciple Disciples Doubt Essayed Fear Jerusalem Join Joined Really Saul Several Tried Try Trying Whether
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.














When he arrived in Jerusalem
This phrase marks a significant moment in the life of Saul, later known as Paul. Jerusalem, the heart of Jewish religious life and the early Christian church, was a city of profound spiritual and historical importance. Saul's arrival here is laden with meaning, as it represents a return to the epicenter of his former life as a persecutor of Christians. The Greek word for "arrived" (παραγίνομαι, paraginomai) suggests a coming or appearing, indicating Saul's transition from his past to his new life in Christ. This arrival is not just physical but symbolic of his new mission and identity.

he tried to join the disciples
The Greek word for "tried" (πειράω, peiraō) implies an earnest attempt or endeavor. Saul's effort to join the disciples reflects his sincere desire to be part of the community he once sought to destroy. This action underscores the transformative power of Christ's grace, as Saul seeks fellowship with those who share his newfound faith. The term "join" (κολλάω, kollaō) means to glue or cement together, indicating Saul's intention to be united with the disciples in purpose and spirit.

but they were all afraid of him
The disciples' fear is understandable given Saul's reputation as a fierce persecutor of Christians. The Greek word for "afraid" (φοβέω, phobeō) conveys a deep-seated fear or terror. This reaction highlights the human tendency to doubt the sincerity of radical transformations, even when they are divinely orchestrated. It also serves as a reminder of the early church's vulnerability and the real danger they faced from those who opposed their message.

not believing that he was a disciple
The disciples' disbelief is rooted in Saul's past actions. The Greek word for "believing" (πιστεύω, pisteuō) means to have faith or trust. Their skepticism reflects a lack of trust in Saul's conversion, illustrating the challenge of overcoming preconceived notions and past experiences. This phrase emphasizes the need for discernment and the importance of witnessing genuine change in a person's life. It also foreshadows the role of Barnabas, who later vouches for Saul, demonstrating the power of advocacy and encouragement within the Christian community.

(26) And when Saul was come to Jerusalem.--His journey probably took him, as before, through Samaria (see Note on Acts 9:3), and so laid the foundation of the interest in the Samaritan Church, which shows itself later on in the history in Acts 15:3, when he and Barnabas journeyed "through Ph?nice and Samaria."

He assayed to join himself to the disciples.--The reader may note the use of the word "assay," which has since been confined to a purely technical meaning, in the wider sense of trying or attempting. The verb for "join" is that which is always used of close and intimate fellowship, such as that of husband and wife, of brothers, and of friends. (Comp. Acts 10:28; Matthew 19:5; Luke 15:15; 1Corinthians 6:16.) He was seeking, in the language of a later time, full communion with the disciples. It was not strange that his motives should be at first suspected. Might he not be coming to "spy out" their weak places, and in time appear again as a persecutor? The difficulty which at first presents itself in understanding how the Church at Jerusalem could have remained ignorant of what Saul had done at Damascus as a preacher of the faith, is adequately explained by the political incidents to which attention has been already drawn. The occupation of the city by Aretas, and his enmity against the Herodian house, may well have stopped the usual intercourse between it and Jerusalem, then under the rule of Agrippa, and so the reports that reached the Apostles would come in uncertain and fluctuating forms, which were not sufficient to lead the disciples to trust in the conversion of the persecutor. . . .

Verse 26. - He for Saul, A.V. and T.R.; and they were for but, etc., A.V.; not believing for and believed not, A.V. The narrative thus far exactly agrees with Galatians 1:17, 18, which, however, supplies the motive of the journey to Jerusalem, which is not here mentioned, viz. to see Peter. It seems strange to some commentators that the news of Saul having become a zealous Christian should not have reached Jerusalem after an interval of three years. But first, we do not know. how much of those three years was spent in Arabia, nor how much the unsettled state of Damascus may have interrupted the usual communication between Jerusalem and Damascus, nor how suspicious of evil the poor persecuted disciples at Jerusalem may have been. They knew of the fierceness of Saul's zeal as a persecutor by their own experience; they knew of him as a disciple only by report. It may have been only an instance of the truth of Horace's maxim, "Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures quam quae sunt occults subjecta fidelibus."

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

[Saul] arrived
Παραγενόμενος (Paragenomenos)
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3854: From para and ginomai; to become near, i.e. Approach; by implication, to appear publicly.

in
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

Jerusalem,
Ἰερουσαλὴμ (Ierousalēm)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2419: Of Hebrew origin; Hierusalem, the capitol of Palestine.

he tried
ἐπείραζεν (epeirazen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3985: To try, tempt, test. From peira; to test, i.e. Endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline.

to join
κολλᾶσθαι (kollasthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 2853: From kolla; to glue, i.e. to stick.

the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative 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.

disciples,
μαθηταῖς (mathētais)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.

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

they were all afraid of
ἐφοβοῦντο (ephobounto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 5399: From phobos; to frighten, i.e. to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. Revere.

him,
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

not
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

believing
πιστεύοντες (pisteuontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

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

he was
ἐστὶν (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.

a disciple.
μαθητής (mathētēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.


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NT Apostles: Acts 9:26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem he (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 9:25
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