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    Acts 9:20-31
    Lesson 239
    ​
    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson: 
     
    The man who hated Jesus now believes.
     
    Escape in a basket (9:25).    

    Paul escaping Damascus in a basket.
     
    (Stained glass at Ely Cathedral; Cambridgeshire, England) ​
    Study Tip:
     
    Don't forget to read the Margin Notes in blue and to click on the links.     ​ ​

    The Acts of the Apostles

    The King James Bible    ​



    Acts 9:20-31
    Paul's ministry begins

    20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
     
    21 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?
     
    22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
     
    23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:
     
    24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
     
    25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
     
    26 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.
     
    27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
     
    28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

    29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

    30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

    ​31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

    ​
    Margin notes:
     
    "Straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues." (9:20) - Means, "Immediately he (Paul) preached about Christ in the synagogues."  Notice that Paul, who will eventually be called the apostle to the Gentiles, starts his ministry in a Jewish synagogue.

    "Came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?" (9:21) - "Came here for that reason, to bring them in chains to the chief priests" (Acts 9:1-2)?

    "Confounded the Jews." (9:22) - Paul overwhelmed unbelievers with his knowledge and logic.

    After that many days were fulfilled." (9:23) - Paul preached in Damascus and Arabia for three years before going to Jerusalem (Galatians 1:17-18).

    "The Jews took counsel to kill him." (9:23) - "The Jews plotted to kill him."  This was the first but not the last plot against Paul's life (9:29; 23:12). 

    "Their laying await was known." (9:24) - "Their planned ambush was known (by Paul)."

    "He assayed to join himself to the disciples." (9:26) - "He tried to join the disciples."

    "Brought him to the apostles." (9:27) - Barnabas brought Paul to meet the apostle's Peter and James (Galatians 1:18-19).

    "He had seen the Lord in the way." (9:27) - "He saw the Lord on the road (to Damascus)."

    "He was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem." (9:28) - Paul joined Peter and James when they traveled out of Jerusalem to preach about Jesus. 

    "Disputed against the Grecians." (9:29) - "Debated the Greek speaking Jews."
    New Living Translation
    Acts 9:20-31            
     
    20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!"
     
    21 All who heard him were amazed. "Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus' followers in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And didn't he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?"
     
    22 Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

    23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.

    24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.

    25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
     
    26 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!

    27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
     
    28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

    ​29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.

    ​30 When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
     
    31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

    This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's Question:
     
    1.     After denouncing Christianity, how was Paul able to begin preaching so quickly? (9:20)



    "Repentance is the launching pad where the soul is sent on its eternal orbit with God at the center of the arc."

    ​    Billy Graham (1918-2018)
    Answer:  (Do you agree?) 
    ​
    1. Few could teach about Jesus so soon after their conversion as Paul did.  Before becoming a believer, Paul was a Pharisee.  From the age of thirteen, he received the finest religious training under the renowned Jewish teacher Gamaliel (the same Gamaliel who advised the Sanhedrin to use caution when dealing with the apostles in Acts 5:34-40).  As a result, Paul had an excellent knowledge of the Old Testament and all its prophecies.  When he met Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul realized that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies and was the Messiah the Jewish people had been waiting for.  Combining his knowledge of the Old Testament with what he learned from the disciples (9:19), he quickly began preaching the word of God.  
     
    But the main reason Paul was able to teach so quickly was he was filled with the Holy Spirit.  With the help of God, Paul was able to turn his life around and become a convincing voice spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.



    Application thought for the day: 
     
    Becoming a Christian changed Paul's life. 
    How has your life changed since accepting Christ? 
    Would prayer strengthen God's impact on your life even more?
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    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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