Acts 22:6-9

Acts 22:6-9

[6] And  it came to pass,  journey,  and  was come nigh  unto Damascus  about  noon,  suddenly  from  heaven  a great  light  round  about  [7] And  I fell  unto  the ground,  and  heard  a voice  saying  Saul,  why  persecutest thou  [8] And  I  answered,  Who  Lord?  And  he said  unto  I  am  Jesus  of Nazareth,  whom  thou  persecutest.  [9] And  with  saw  indeed  the light,  but  they heard  not  the voice  of him that spake 

What does Acts 22:6-9 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Paul next related the events of his conversion and stressed the supernatural revelation God had given him. This revelation accounted for the radical change in his life. This account of Paul"s conversion harmonizes with the other two accounts of it that Luke ( Acts 9:3-19) and Paul ( Acts 26:12-18) gave us in Acts. On this occasion, as well as in chapter26 , Paul emphasized features that would have been especially significant to his audience. His listeners were Jewish in chapter22and Roman in chapter26.
As in Acts 9:3-6, Paul stressed that his encounter with God was an event that God had initiated. It was not something that Paul or others had sought. Jesus of Nazareth had reached out to him. Therefore Jesus is the Messiah, but He is a risen Messiah. It was this Messiah who had changed Paul"s perspective and understanding. When Paul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" ( Acts 22:8), he was probably addressing the person speaking to him as God and personal master (cf. Acts 9:5). Evidently Paul"s traveling companions heard a voice-like sound, but only Paul understood Jesus" words ( Acts 22:9; cf. Acts 9:7; Acts 26:14; John 12:29).