Acts 9:17 Study Bible: Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

◄ Acts 9:17 ►

So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. "Brother Saul," he said, "the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Study Bible

So Ananias went to the house,

Ananias obeyed the Lord and entered the house of Judas on Straight Street, where Saul had been praying and waiting in blindness. Fear did not prevent Ananias from carrying out God’s command.

Act 22:12-13 There a man named Ananias, a devout observer…
Act 10:22-23 “Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said.…

and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul.

The laying on of hands conveyed healing, blessing, and fellowship. Ananias openly received the former persecutor of the church as one whom Christ had claimed.

Mrk 8:23-25 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him…
Luk 4:40 At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases…

“Brother Saul,” he said,

Ananias addressed Saul as a brother before Saul had done anything to earn the church’s trust. Christ’s grace had made the enemy of believers a member of God’s family.

Mat 28:10 “Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers…”…
Heb 2:11-12 For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified…

“the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here,

The risen Jesus had personally confronted Saul on the Damascus road, identifying Himself with the believers Saul had persecuted. Ananias confirmed that Saul’s encounter had come from the Lord, not from a vision of his own making.

Act 22:6-11 About noon as I was approaching Damascus,…
Act 26:12-16 In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus…

has sent me so that you may see again

Saul’s restored sight marked the mercy of Christ and pictured the spiritual illumination that accompanied his conversion. The man once blind to Jesus’ identity would proclaim Him as the promised Messiah and Son of God.

Jhn 9:7 Then he told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam”…
Act 26:18 open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness…

and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit would empower Saul for the calling Christ had already announced: to bear His name before Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel.

Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…
Act 4:31 After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken…
Eph 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to…

Persons / Places / Events

1. Ananias
A disciple in Damascus, chosen by God to restore Saul's sight and to be an instrument in Saul's conversion and filling with the Holy Spirit.

2. Saul
Later known as Paul, a zealous Pharisee who persecuted Christians before his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.

3. The House
The location in Damascus where Saul was staying, representing a place of transformation and divine encounter.

4. The Road to Damascus
The path Saul was traveling when he encountered the risen Christ, leading to his conversion.

5. The Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity, who fills and empowers believers for service and transformation.

Teaching Points

Obedience to God's Call
Ananias demonstrates obedience despite his initial fear and hesitation. We are called to trust God's plans and act in faith, even when it involves risk or discomfort.

Transformation through Encounter
Saul's conversion shows the transformative power of encountering Christ. Our lives can be radically changed when we truly meet Jesus.

The Role of Community
Ananias addresses Saul as "Brother," signifying acceptance into the Christian community. The church plays a crucial role in nurturing and supporting new believers.

The Filling of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit empowers believers for service and mission. We should seek to be continually filled with the Spirit to fulfill God's purposes.

God's Sovereign Choice
Saul's conversion illustrates that God can choose and use anyone for His purposes, regardless of their past. We should never underestimate God's ability to transform lives.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Ananias' obedience to God's call challenge us in our own walk of faith, especially when faced with fear or uncertainty?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our encounters with Christ lead to genuine transformation in our lives?

3. How can the church effectively support and integrate new believers into the community, as Ananias did with Saul?

4. What steps can we take to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, and how does this impact our daily lives and ministry?

5. Reflect on a time when God used someone unexpected to accomplish His purposes. How does Saul's account encourage you to see potential in others?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Acts 22:12-16
Ananias is described as a devout observer of the law and respected by all the Jews living in Damascus, providing additional context to his role in Saul's conversion.

1 Corinthians 15:8-10
Paul reflects on his encounter with Christ and the grace that transformed him, emphasizing the power of divine intervention.

Galatians 1:15-16
Paul speaks of being set apart by God and called by His grace, highlighting the divine purpose in his conversion.

Sermons

A Sudden Conversion		Acts 9:3-19
An Inspired Vision	S. Chapman.	Acts 9:3-19
Conversion	E. B. Pusey.	Acts 9:3-19
Conversion by the Vision of Christ		Acts 9:3-19
Conversion of St. Paul	W. H. Hutchings, M. A.	Acts 9:3-19
Conversions May be Quite Sudden in Their Beginnings	H. W. Beecher.	Acts 9:3-19
God's Method of Converting Men		Acts 9:3-19
Paul's Conversion a Type of the Reformation	K. Gerok.	Acts 9:3-19
Saul Meets with Jesus	H. R. Haweis, M. A.	Acts 9:3-19
Saul of Tarsus Converted	D. J. Burrell, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
Saul's Conversion	C. S. Robinson, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
Saul's Conversion	R. Watson.	Acts 9:3-19
Saul's Conversion God's Glorification	M. Luther.	Acts 9:3-19
The Battle of Damascus	K. Gerok.	Acts 9:3-19
The Completeness of St. Paul's Conversion	C. H. Spurgeon.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Paul	C. Hodge, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	H. J. Van Dyke.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	D. Thomas, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	D. Thomas, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	J. Parker, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	J. Parker, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	J. Parker, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of Saul	M. G. Pearse.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of St. Paul	J. O. Dykes, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of St. Paul	J. Wolff, LL. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Conversion of St. Paul	C. Hodge, D. D.	Acts 9:3-19
The Difficulties in the Narrative	T. Binney.	Acts 9:3-19
The Great Day of Damascus	K. Gerok.	Acts 9:3-19
The Heavenly Light	Weekly Pulpit	Acts 9:3-19
The Progress of St. Paul's Conversion	Jaspis.	Acts 9:3-19
The Proud Rider Unhorsed	T. De Witt Talmage.	Acts 9:3-19
When Need is Greatest God is Nearest	K. Gerok.	Acts 9:3-19
Ananias of Damascus	W. Brock, jun.	Acts 9:10-18
Christ's Treatment of Us and Our Obedience to Him	W. Clarkson	Acts 9:10-18
The Good Ananias: a Lesson for Believers	C. H. Spurgeon.	Acts 9:10-18
Baptism of St. Paul	R.A. Redford	Acts 9:10-19
Saul and Anaemias	E. Johnson	Acts 9:10-19
A Parable in Things Spiritual	P.C. Barker	Acts 9:17-19
Christian Brotherliness	J. W. Burn.	Acts 9:17-23
Divine Brotherhood	J. W. Munday.	Acts 9:17-23
Saul Converted	W. H. Davison.	Acts 9:17-23

People

Aeneas, Ananias, Barnabas, Dorcas, Grecians, Judas, Lud, Peter, Saul, Simon, Tabitha

Places

Azotus, Caesarea, Damascus, Galilee, Jerusalem, Joppa, Judea, Lydda, Samaria, Sharon, Straight Street, Tarsus

Topics

Able, Ananias, Anani'as, Appear, Appeared, Brother, Camest, Departed, Enter, Entered, Filled, Full, Ghost, Hands, Holy, Journey, Laying, Mayest, Mightest, Placing, Putting, Receive, Recover, Regain, Road, Saul, Sight, Spirit, Wast

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Acts 9:17

     3251   Holy Spirit, filling with
     3257   Holy Spirit, gift of
     5396   lordship, of Christ
     5505   roads
     5661   brothers
     7328   ceremonies
     7372   hands, laying on
     8301   love, and enemies
     8422   equipping, spiritual
     8427   evangelism, kinds of

Acts 9:1-19

8131 guidance, results

Acts 9:1-30

5108 Paul, life of

Acts 9:3-18

6629 conversion, examples

Acts 9:3-19

5109 Paul, apostle

Acts 9:11-17

6604 acceptance, human

Acts 9:17-18

     1466   vision
     5134   blindness, natural
     7907   baptism, practice

Library

'This Way'
'Any of this way.'--ACTS ix. 2 The name of 'Christian' was not applied to themselves by the followers of Jesus before the completion of the New Testament. There were other names in currency before that designation--which owed its origin to the scoffing wits of Antioch--was accepted by the Church. They called themselves 'disciples,' 'believers, 'saints,' 'brethren,' as if feeling about for a title. Here is a name that had obtained currency for a while, and was afterwards disused. We find it five times …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

A Bird's-Eye view of the Early Church
'So the Church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, was multiplied.'--ACTS ix. 31 (R.V.). A man climbing a hill stops every now and then to take breath and look about him; and in the earlier part of this Book of the Acts of the Apostles there are a number of such landing-places where the writer suspends the course of his narrative, in order to give a general notion of the condition of the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Grace Triumphant
'And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2. And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them hound unto Jerusalem. 3. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? 5. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Copies of Christ's Manner
'And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed.... 40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down and prayed; and, turning him to the body, said, Tabitha, arise.--ACTS ix. 34, 40. I have put these two miracles together, not only because they were closely connected in time and place, but because they have a very remarkable and instructive feature in common. They are both evidently moulded upon Christ's miracles; are distinct imitations of what Peter had …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Directions to Awakened Sinners.
Acts ix. 6. Acts ix. 6. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do. THESE are the words of Saul, who also is called Paul, (Acts xiii. 9,) when he was stricken to the ground as he was going to Damascus; and any one who had looked upon him in his present circumstances and knew nothing more of him than that view, in comparison with his past life, could have given, would have imagined him one of the most miserable creatures that ever lived upon earth, and would have expected …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

Paul's First Prayer
First, our text was an announcement; "Behold, he prayeth." Secondly, it was an argument; "For, behold, he prayeth." Then, to conclude, we will try to make an application of our text to your hearts. Though application is the work of God alone, we will trust that he will be pleased to make that application while the word is preached this morning. I. First, here was AN ANNOUNCEMENT; "Go to the house of Saul of Tarsus; for behold, he prayeth." Without any preface, let me say, that this was the announcement …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Paul a Pattern of Prayer
"Go and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth."--ACTS ix. 11. "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."--1 TIM. i. 16. God took His own Son, and made Him our Example and our Pattern. It sometimes is as if the power of Christ's example is lost in the thought that He, in whom is no sin, is not man as we are. Our Lord took Paul, a man …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Prov. 22:06 the Duties of Parents
"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."--Prov. 22:6. I SUPPOSE that most professing Christians are acquainted with the text at the head of this page. The sound of it is probably familiar to your ears, like an old tune. It is likely you have heard it, or read it, talked of it, or quoted it, many a time. Is it not so? But, after all, how little is the substance of this text regarded! The doctrine it contains appears scarcely known, the duty it puts …
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times

"To Me to Live is Christ"
PHILIPPIANS i. 21. In connection with ACTS ix. 1--18. THERE is no more significant sign of the days in which we live than the interest society seems to be taking in the biographies of great men. Almost all the more popular recent books, for instance--the books which every one is reading and has to read--come under the category of biography; and, to meet the demand, two or three times in each season the market has to be supplied with the lives, in minute detail, of men who but for this would perhaps …
Henry Drummond—The Ideal Life

The Future of Christ's Kingdom First Group of Epistles the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians Introduction to the Epistles of Paul +Epistolary Writings. + --The
STUDY VII THE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM FIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLES OF PAUL +Epistolary Writings.+--The New Testament is composed of twenty-seven books, twenty-one of which are Epistles. Of this latter number thirteen are ascribed to Paul. It is thus seen how largely the New Testament is made up of Epistles and how many of these are attributed to the Great Apostle. In the letters of men of great prominence and power of any …
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The New Testament Text and Its History.
The history of the New Testament text naturally falls into two main divisions, that of the manuscript text, and that of the printed text. A few remarks will be added on the principles of textual criticism. See PLATES at the beginning of this book. [Transcriber's Note: Transcriptions of the Plates are at the end of this e-book.] I. THE MANUSCRIPT TEXT. 1. The preservation of the primitive text of the gospels from all essential corruptions, additions, and mutilations has already been shown …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Sharon. Caphar Lodim. The Village of those of Lydda.
Between Lydda and the sea, a spacious valley runs out, here and there widely spreading itself, and sprinkled with villages. The holy page of the New Testament [Acts 9:35] calls it Saron: and that of the Old calls the whole, perhaps, or some part of it, 'the plain of Ono,' Nehemiah 6:2, 11:35; 1 Chronicles 8:12... The wine of Sharon is of great fame, with which they mixed two parts water: and remarkable is that they say concerning the houses of Sharon. R. Lazar saith, "He that builds a brick house …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Caphar Tebi.
And this village neighboured upon Lydda, situate on the east of it. "R. Eleazar had a vineyard of four years' growth; on the east of Lydda, near Caphar Tebi." Of it there is this mention also:-- "They sometime brought a chest full of bones from Caphar Tebi, and they placed it openly in the entrance to Lydda. Tudrus the physician and the rest of the physicians go forth"--(namely, that they might judge, whether they were the bones of men or no; and thereby, whether they were to be esteemed clean or …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Sources and Literature on St. Paul and his Work.
I. Sources. 1. The authentic sources: The Epistles of Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles 9:1-30 and 13 to 28. Of the Epistles of Paul the four most important Galatians, Romans, two Corinthians--are universally acknowledged as genuine even by the most exacting critics; the Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians are admitted by nearly all critics; the Pastoral Epistles, especially First Timothy, and Titus, are more or less disputed, but even they bear the stamp of Paul's genius. On the coincidences …
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

The Knight of God
Heinrich Suso Acts ix. 16 As the song of him who singeth, Playing on a harp of gold, So to me was Christ's evangel In the days of old. Thus across the lake of Constance Went I forth to preach His Word, And beside me sat the squire Of a noble Lord. None in all the ship so knightly, None so bravely dight as he-- "Tell me," I besought, "thine errand Yonder o'er the sea." "I go forth," he said, "to gather Many a knight and noble bold; They shall tilt at joust and tourney, Whilst fair eyes behold. …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Such, we May Believe, was that John the Monk...
21. Such, we may believe, was that John the Monk, whom the elder Theodosius, the Emperor, consulted concerning the issue of the civil war: seeing he had also the gift of prophecy. For that not each several person has a several one of those gifts, but that one man may have more gifts than one, I make no question. This John, then, when once a certain most religious woman desired to see him, and to obtain this did through her husband make vehement entreaty, refused indeed this request because he had …
St. Augustine—On Care to Be Had for the Dead.

Whether any Preparation and Disposition for Grace is Required on Man's Part?
Objection 1: It would seem that no preparation or disposition for grace is required on man's part, since, as the Apostle says (Rom. 4:4), "To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt." Now a man's preparation by free-will can only be through some operation. Hence it would do away with the notion of grace. Objection 2: Further, whoever is going on sinning, is not preparing himself to have grace. But to some who are going on sinning grace is given, as is …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Form of this Sacrament Is: "I Absolve Thee"?
Objection 1: It would seem that the form of this sacrament is not: "I absolve thee." Because the forms of the sacraments are received from Christ's institution and the Church's custom. But we do not read that Christ instituted this form. Nor is it in common use; in fact in certain absolutions which are given publicly in church (e.g. at Prime and Compline and on Maundy Thursday), absolution is given not in the indicative form by saying: "I absolve thee," but In the deprecatory form, by saying: "May …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether one Ought to Dispute with Unbelievers in Public?
Objection 1: It would seem that one ought not to dispute with unbelievers in public. For the Apostle says (2 Tim. 2:14): "Contend not in words, for it is to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." But it is impossible to dispute with unbelievers publicly without contending in words. Therefore one ought not to dispute publicly with unbelievers. Objection 2: Further, the law of Martianus Augustus confirmed by the canons [*De Sum. Trin. Cod. lib. i, leg. Nemo] expresses itself thus: "It is …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Beginning of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Coin of Thessalonica] Turn to the list of books given in the beginning of your New Testament. You will see that first come the four Gospels, or glimpses of the Saviour's life given by four different writers. Then follows the Acts of the Apostles, and, lastly, after the twenty-one epistles, the volume ends with the Revelation. Now this is not the order in which the books were written--they are only arranged like this for our convenience. The first words of the New Testament …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Doctrine of the Church i. Definition; Distinctions.
1. OLD TESTAMENT. 2. NEW TESTAMENT. 3. THE CHURCH; CHRISTENDOM; KINGDOM. II. THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH. 1. IN PROPHECY AND PROMISE. 2. HISTORICALLY FOUNDED. III. MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH. Conditions of Entrance; Characteristics. 1. REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM. 2. FAITH IN THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST. 3. REGENERATION. 4. PUBLIC CONFESSION OF CHRIST--BAPTISM. 5. ADHERENCE TO THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE. 6. CHARACTERISTICS. IV. FIGURES UNDER WHICH THE CHURCH IS PRESENTED. 1. THE BODY OF CHRIST. 2. THE TEMPLE OF …
Rev. William Evans—The Great Doctrines of the Bible

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