Acts 9:1 Meaning and Explanation
“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →We meet Saul at his fiercest, hunting believers, just before grace stops him on the road.
The Context of Acts 9:1
Saul of Tarsus, soon to be known as the apostle Paul, is at this point a determined enemy of the church. He has already approved the killing of Stephen, and now he goes to the high priest in Jerusalem for authority to arrest believers as far away as Damascus.
What Does Acts 9:1 Mean?
Luke paints Saul with a single, unforgettable phrase: breathing out threatenings and slaughter. It is as though hostility were the very air in his lungs, exhaled with every breath. He is not drifting toward violence; he is striding into it, going to the high priest for legal power to hunt down the disciples of the Lord. This is a man whose whole energy is bent against Jesus. Everything in this verse points one direction, away from God.
And this is precisely the man Christ is about to meet. In the very next verses, a light from heaven stops Saul cold, and the Lord he persecuted speaks his name. The mercy of Jesus reaches the one least expecting it and least deserving it, the persecutor himself. There is deep hope in where this verse sits, right on the edge of grace. No one is too far gone, too hardened, or too hostile for the Lord to find and turn.
Acts 9:1 in the Original Language
empneo (ἐμπνέω), 'breathing out' -- to breathe in or exhale, here the very breath of threat and rage.
How to Apply Acts 9:1 Today
Saul at his most hostile is exactly where grace found him, which means no one is beyond the reach of Christ. When we look at a hardened heart, our own or another's, this verse holds out hope that the Lord can still turn it. The persecutor became the apostle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 9:1
What does Acts 9:1 mean?
We meet Saul at his fiercest, hunting believers, just before grace stops him on the road.
What is the context of Acts 9:1?
Saul of Tarsus, soon to be known as the apostle Paul, is at this point a determined enemy of the church. He has already approved the killing of Stephen, and now he goes to the high priest in Jerusalem for authority to arrest believers as far away as Damascus.
How can I apply Acts 9:1 today?
Saul at his most hostile is exactly where grace found him, which means no one is beyond the reach of Christ. When we look at a hardened heart, our own or another's, this verse holds out hope that the Lord can still turn it. The persecutor became the apostle.