Acts 9:8

9:8 So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, ¹  he could see nothing. ²  Leading him by the hand, his companions ³  brought him into Damascus.

Acts 9:12

9:12 and he has seen in a vision ⁴  a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.”

Acts 17:22

17:22 So Paul stood ⁵  before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious ⁶  in all respects. ⁷ 

Acts 20:38

20:38 especially saddened ⁸  by what ⁹  he had said, that they were not going to see him ¹⁰  again. Then they accompanied ¹¹  him to the ship.

Acts 22:11

22:11 Since I could not see because of ¹²  the brilliance ¹³  of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of ¹⁴  those who were with me.

Acts 27:10

27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end ¹⁵  in disaster ¹⁶  and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ¹⁷ 

Acts 28:20

28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” ¹⁸ 

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¹ tn Grk “his eyes being open,” a genitive absolute construction that has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

² sn He could see nothing. This sign of blindness, which was temporary until v. 18, is like the sign of deafness experienced by Zechariah in Luke 1. It allowed some time for Saul (Paul) to reflect on what had happened without distractions.

³ tn Grk “they”; the referents (Saul’s companions) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tc ‡ The words ἐν ὀράματι (en oramati, “in a vision”) are not found in some of the earliest and best mss (Ì⁷⁴ א A 81 pc lat sa bo), but are implied from the context. The phrase is included, although sometimes in a different order with ἄνδρα (andra, “man”) or omitting ἄνδρα altogether, by B C E Ψ 33 1175 1739 Ï. The order of words in NA²⁷, ἄνδρα ἐν ὁράματι, is supported only by B C 1175. Generally speaking, when there are three or more variants, with one an omission and the others involving rearrangements, the longer readings are later scribal additions. Further, the reading looks like a clarifying note, for an earlier vision is explicitly mentioned in v. 10. On the other hand, it is possible that some scribes deleted the words because of perceived repetition, though this is unlikely since it is a different vision two verses back. It is also possible that some scribes could have confused ὁράματι with ὀνόματι (onomati, “name”); TCGNT 319 notes that several mss place ονόματι before ᾿Ανανίαν (Ananian, “Ananias”) while a few others drop ὀνόματι altogether. The Sahidic mss are among those that drop the word, however, and they also lack ἐν ὁράματι; all that is left is one version and father that drops ὀνόματι. Perhaps the best argument for the authenticity of the phrase is that B C 1175 preserve a rare, distinctively Lukan word order, but this is not nearly as harsh or unusual as what Luke does elsewhere. A decision is difficult in this case, but on balance the omission of the phrase seems to be authentic. The words are nevertheless added in the translation because of contextual considerations. NA²⁷ places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

sn Apparently while in Damascus Paul had a subsequent vision in the midst of his blindness, fulfilling the prediction in 9:6.

⁵ tn Grk “standing…said.” The participle ζηλώσαντες (zhlwsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁶ tn The term δεισιδαιμονεστέρους (deisidaimonesterou") is difficult. On the one hand it can have the positive sense of “devout,” but on the other hand it can have the negative sense of “superstitious” (BDAG 216 s.v. δεισιδαίμων). As part of a laudatory introduction (the technical rhetorical term for this introduction was capatatio), the term is probably positive here. It may well be a “backhanded” compliment, playing on the ambiguity.

⁷ tn BDAG 513 s.v. κατά B.6 translates the phrase κατὰ πάντα (kata panta) as “in all respects.”

⁸ tn Or “pained.”

⁹ tn Grk “by the word that he had said.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “to see his face” (an idiom for seeing someone in person).

¹¹ tn BDAG 873 s.v. προπέμπω 1 has “they accompanied him to the ship Ac 20:38.”

¹² tn BDAG 106 s.v. ἀπό 5.a has “οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτός I could not see because of the brilliance of the light Ac 22:11.”

¹³ tn Or “brightness”; Grk “glory.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “by” (ὑπό, Jupo), but this would be too awkward in English following the previous “by.”

¹⁵ tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”

¹⁶ tn Or “hardship,” “damage.” BDAG 1022 s.v. ὕβρις 3 states, “fig. hardship, disaster, damage caused by the elements…w. ζημία Ac 27:10.”

¹⁷ tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).

¹⁸ sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).