What Does Acts 9:4 Mean in the King James?
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Jesus speaks from inside the people Saul believes he is only chasing.
THE MEANING
The voice names harm aimed at Jesus’ people as harm that reaches him. Its question exposes how violence can mistake its target while still reaching the one it cannot see.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that cruelty toward another person is separate from one’s relation to Jesus collapses here.
THE ROOT
διώκεις
diōkeis
GROWS FROM
διωκ-
diōk-
Pursue, chase after.
The verb beneath “persecutest” means to pursue or chase after; persecution is pursuit turned against someone. The repeated “me” places that pursuit inside Jesus’ own identity, so violence aimed at his people reaches him.
ALSO GROWS
diōkō: Pursue, follow after.
διώκω
This is the verb’s dictionary form: the same pursuit can describe following after, as well as persecuting.
diōgmos: Persecution, pursuit.
διωγμός
This noun names the hostile pursuit Saul directs at Jesus’ people.
diōktēs: Persecutor, pursuer.
διώκτης
This word names the person who carries out the pursuit Saul is challenged about.
THE PATTERN
What is done to the people bound to God reaches God himself, because their lives are not separate from him.
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.THE THREAD
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.“Follow after” translates the same Greek verb, διώκω (diōkō), as “persecutest” in Acts 9:4. The word holds pursuit in common; here, its direction and object have changed.
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us