What Does Acts 22:14 Mean in the King James?

And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

Acts 22:14 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Being chosen opens into knowing God’s will by perceiving the aligned one and hearing the voice that speaks.

THE MEANING

Here, being chosen opens you into relationship: you know what God wills, perceive the aligned one, and hear the voice from its source. Knowing, seeing, and hearing belong together; divine direction arrives through encounter, not as detached information.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the idea that being chosen is only a rank or label: here, choosing opens into what becomes perceptible, the will, the aligned one, and the speaking voice.

THE ROOT

γνῶναι

gnōnai

GROWS FROM

γινωσκ-

ginōsk-

To know, come to know, or recognize.

“know” in this verse is gnōnai. The Greek family includes both knowing and what is known. Here that knowing is joined to seeing the Just One and hearing a voice, so it reads as recognition through encounter, not information held at a distance.

ALSO GROWS

gnōsis: Knowledge, understanding

γνῶσις

It shows the same family naming what comes to be known, while the verse describes knowing as part of a wider encounter.

gnōstos: Known, familiar

γνωστός

This branch brings out the relational shade of knowing: what is known is no longer unknown or distant.

τὸν δίκαιον

ton dikaion

GROWS FROM

δικ-

dik-

Rightness and justice; alignment with what is right.

“Just One” can sound like an honorific, but the Greek word belongs to a family naming rightness, alignment, and the act of setting right. Seeing this one is therefore also perceiving alignment embodied.

ALSO GROWS

dikaios: Just, right, aligned

δίκαιος

This is the adjective used here for the one whose alignment is seen.

dikaiosynē: Justice, righteousness, alignment

δικαιοσύνη

The related noun names the quality that the Just One embodies.

dikaioō: To justify, declare or treat as right

δικαιόω

This verb shows the family extending from alignment as a quality to the act of setting something right.

THE PATTERN

Divine direction is received through an encounter that joins inward knowing, perception, and hearing.

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psalm 40:8 · KJVThe will is not detached instruction here; it is received inwardly and becomes delight.

And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

1 Samuel 3:10 · KJVThe voice is encountered and heard as a direct address.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

John 10:27 · KJVHearing and being known appear together as a relationship shaped by a voice.

THE THREAD

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3 · KJV

The same Greek verb for “know,” ⁨γινώσκω⁩ (ginōskō), appears in both verses. John places this knowing at the center of life with God and the one sent, opening Acts’ sequence as lived recognition rather than information alone.

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