Acts 9:21 · Bible study
Acts 9:21 Commentary: The Persecutor Now Preaches Christ
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the amazement in Acts 9:21 as Saul, the former persecutor, now preaches Christ. Key Greek word 'porthēsas' means 'caused havoc.'
Research Summary
- Meaning: The stunned reaction of the crowd as Saul, the notorious persecutor, now preaches Christ.
- Key words: πορθήσας (porthēsas), “having caused havoc” (aorist participle, completed destructive action); ἐξίσταντο (existanto), “were amazed” (imperfect, ongoing astonishment).
- Main debate: No significant debate; all agree on the radical transformation and the crowd's astonishment.
- Theological theme: The power of God's grace to transform the hardest heart and use the fiercest enemy as His messenger.
- Best use: A powerful testament to conversion and an encouragement that no one is beyond God's reach.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
All 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?”
WEB World English Bible 2000
All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
KJV King James Version 1769
But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called on this name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And all those hearing were amazed, and said, `Is not this he who laid waist in Jerusalem those calling on this name, and hither to this intent had come, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And all who heard were astonished and said, Is not this he who destroyed in Jerusalem those who called on this name, and here was come for this purpose, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And all that heard him were astonished and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y todos los que le oían estaban atónitos, y decían: ¿ No es éste el que asolaba en Jerusalem á los que invocaban este nombre, y á eso vino acá, para llevarlos|strong="G0071, G0846" presos á los príncipes de los sacerdotes?
E todos os que o ouviam ficavam admirados, e diziam: Não é este aquele que em Jerusalém tentava destruir aos que invocavam este nome? E não foi para isso que ele veio aqui, para os levar presos aos chefes dos sacerdotes?
Tous ceux qui l’ entendaient étaient dans l’ étonnement, et disaient: N’ est-ce pas celui qui persécutait à Jérusalem ceux qui invoquent ce nom, et n’ est-il pas venu ici pour les emmener liés devant les principaux sacrificateurs?
Sie entsetzten sich aber alle, die es hörten, und sprachen: Ist das nicht, der zu Jerusalem verstörte alle, die diesen Namen anrufen, und darum hergekommen, daß er sie gebunden führe zu den Hohenpriestern?
En zij ontzetten zich allen, die het hoorden, en zeiden: Is deze niet degene, die te Jeruzalem verstoorde, wie dezen Naam aanriepen, en die daarom hier gekomen is, opdat hij dezelve gebonden zou brengen tot de overpriesters?
E tutti coloro che l’udivano, stupivano e dicevano: Non è costui quel che in Gerusalemme infieriva contro quelli che invocano questo nome ed è venuto qui allo scopo di menarli incatenati ai capi sacerdoti?
I zdumiewali się wszyscy, którzy go słuchali, i mówili: Izali to nie jest ten, który burzył w Jeruzalemie tych, którzy wzywali imienia tego? i tuć na to przyszedł, aby ich związawszy, wiódł do najwyższych kapłanów?
И все слышавшие дивились и говорили: не тот ли это самый, который гнал в Иерусалиме призывающих имя сие? да и сюда за тем пришел, чтобы вязать их и вести к первосвященникам.
凡 聽見 的人都驚奇， 說：「在 耶路撒冷 殘害 求告 這 名的，不 是 這人嗎？並且 他到這裡 來，特 要 捆綁 他們，帶 到 祭司長那裡。」
And all those hearing him were full of wonder and said, Is not this the man who in Jerusalem was attacking all the worshippers of this name? and he had come here so that he might take them as prisoners before the chief priests.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 9:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse captures the crowd's sheer astonishment at Saul's reversal. Gill and Barnes both note that the speakers are unbelieving Jews, people who knew his reputation. The verb πορθήσας (porthēsas, aorist participle) points to a definite past of destruction. Adam Clarke unpacks three meanings: to treat as an enemy, to lead away captive, to slay; Paul embodied all three. Vincent's Word Studies confirms the translation 'laid waste, made havoc of,' comparing Acts 8:3. Calvin observes that the phrase 'call on this name' shows the Christians placed all hope of salvation in Christ, making the transformation even more striking. The rhetorical question (οὐχ, expecting 'yes') underlines their disbelief. All sources agree that the power of God alone explains this change.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly records the crowd's amazement at Saul's sudden shift from persecutor to preacher, affirming that his transformation was both perceptible and public.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The nature of Saul's past persecution | Christians agree that Saul violently persecuted the church, causing widespread destruction. | Some infer from Acts 26:10 that he directly participated in killings, while others see the word 'havoc' as encompassing imprisonment and ruin without specifying murder. |
| The identity of the hearers | All agree the speakers knew Saul's reputation. | Most commentators (Gill, Barnes) identify them as unbelieving Jews, but a few allow that the amazement could include believing onlookers who also were astonished. |
| The meaning of 'call on this name' | The phrase refers to invoking Jesus in worship, ascribing divine honor. | No significant debate; Calvin and others simply note it shows Christ is the object of faith. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Saul's reputation traveled ahead of him. The Jews in Damascus had heard of the persecution in Jerusalem, imprisonments, the scattering of believers, the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1, 3). Saul had entered house after house, dragging off men and women (Acts 8:3). He carried authority from the high priest to arrest anyone who 'called on this name' (Acts 9:14). The Cambridge Bible suggests the synagogue authorities may have expected Saul as an ally. Now he stands in those same synagogues, proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. The crowd's question, 'Isn't this the one…?', is not a request for information but a rhetorical outburst of disbelief. The phrase 'call on this name' echoes Old Testament language (Psalm 20:7) and shows that invoking Jesus was an act of worship. Poole's annotations underscore that Saul's consent to Stephen's death makes the grace that changed him even more remarkable. This historical context highlights the radical public nature of his conversion. No gradual shift; a sudden, visible reversal.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Acts 9:21. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts. A few later witnesses read a different word order, but none affect the meaning.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Acts 9:21 has been read as a key witness to the miracle of conversion. Early church writers highlighted the contrast between Saul the wolf and Paul the lamb. The verse appears frequently in evangelistic preaching to show that even the most hostile opponents can become followers of Christ. During the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible used it to emphasize the sovereign power of God in salvation. In modern times, it is often cited in testimonies of radical transformation. The phrase 'call on this name' has shaped liturgical prayers that affirm the deity of Christ, reminding believers that salvation is found in Him alone.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The reputation that preceded him. The crowd remembers Saul the destroyer, the man who raged against Christians in Jerusalem.
- The reversal that amazed them. The same man now preaches that Jesus is the Son of God in the very synagogues he came to purge.
- The reason for both. Only the power of God and the sovereign grace of Christ can explain such a change.
Five-point outline
- Past: Saul's havoc in Jerusalem, the violence that made him feared.
- Present: Saul's proclamation in Damascus, the preaching that made him a target.
- Puzzle: The crowd's bewilderment, their question reveals their inability to reconcile the two.
- Proof: The miracle of conversion, a public, undeniable transformation.
- Purpose: God's chosen instrument (Acts 9:15), the same man who destroyed the church will now build it.
Illustration hooks
- A notorious enemy of the gospel becomes its most vocal advocate, think of a former militant atheist now leading a church.
- A young person who once mocked Christian faith now leads a Bible study on the same campus.
- A prison guard who mistreated inmates for their faith later becomes a chaplain to the same population.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Can God really change a person that dramatically?
- Is it possible for someone who has done terrible things to be forgiven and used by God?
- How should we respond when we see a radical conversion in someone we thought was beyond reach?
Leading a Discussion
This verse invites us to consider the nature of true conversion. The crowd's amazement mirrors the awe that accompanies genuine transformation, especially when the person changed was a known enemy of the faith.
Discussion questions
- What specific words does the crowd use to describe Saul's past? What do those words reveal about his reputation?
- Why do you think the people are amazed rather than skeptical? What makes their reaction noteworthy?
- What does the phrase “call on this name” tell us about the early Christians’ view of Jesus? How does it connect to Old Testament worship?
- The Greek word πορθήσας (porthēsas) is an aorist participle meaning “having caused havoc.” How does that tense emphasize the completeness of Saul's former life?
- In what ways does this verse challenge any doubts we might have about whether people can truly change?
- How does Saul's sudden transformation point to the power of God rather than human effort?
- If you were in that synagogue, what would you have felt, fear, confusion, hope?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 23:23 | Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’ |
| Psalms 71:7 | I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge. |
| Isaiah 8:18 | Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion. |
| Zechariah 3:8 | Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign; for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch. |
| Matthew 13:54 | Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? |
| Matthew 13:55 | Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? |
| Mark 5:15 | They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. |
| Mark 5:20 | He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Greek verb behind "destroyed," noting it carries three distinct meanings: treating someone as an enemy, imprisoning them, or killing them. His point is that Paul's persecution of Christians literally fulfilled all three — he acted as an enemy, imprisoned believers, and voted for their deaths.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the astonishment of those who knew Saul's former fury: his "destroying" meant actively persecuting the church, and his entire mission to Damascus was planned specifically to crush believers there. The wonder is at how completely a persecutor's design was overturned.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights that the onlookers' amazement was not mere surprise at a changed life, but a clear recognition of God's power at work. The sudden transformation from fierce persecutor to preacher made the miracle undeniable. He also notes that calling on Christ's name shows believers placed all their hope of salvation in him, as they would in God.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points out that the Jews in Damascus knew Saul's reputation as a zealous persecutor and likely had been instructed to welcome him, making their sudden amazement at his preaching fully understandable. The strong word "destroyed" also suggests that the persecution in Jerusalem extended well beyond Stephen's stoning.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators highlight the stunned disbelief of Saul's hearers, who can only focus on his violent past. The contrast is stark: this is the very man who ravaged believers in Jerusalem and came to Damascus specifically to arrest more, yet now he preaches the faith he tried to destroy.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the unbelievers in Damascus avoid even saying Christ's name, speaking out of malice. Their amazement comes from the stark contrast: the same Saul who recently destroyed believers in Jerusalem and came to Damascus to arrest more is now boldly preaching the very name he once persecuted.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word translated as "destroyed" actually means something more forceful: laying waste or making havoc. He points out that Paul uses the same term in Galatians 1:13 to describe his own violent persecution of the church, giving the word a specific, destructive weight.