Acts 9:5 Meaning and Explanation
“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Saul asks who is speaking, and the answer overturns his world: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”
What Does Acts 9:5 Mean?
Saul knows the voice comes from heaven; he calls it “Lord” before he knows its name. The answer fuses the glory blinding him with the name he despised: Jesus of Nazareth, crucified, alive. The closing figure comes from the farm — an ox that kicks against the goad only drives the point deeper into its own flesh.
“It is hard for thee” is mercy, not mockery. God had been goading this man — Stephen’s shining face, Stephen’s dying prayer, the steadfastness of those he dragged away — and Saul had been kicking against every prick. Fighting God wounds most the one who fights. Jesus does not crush his enemy; he names the pain of resistance and turns it into a call.
Acts 9:5 in the Original Language
kentron (κέντρον), 'pricks' -- the ox-goad, a sharpened stick used to drive a plow animal forward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 9:5
What does Acts 9:5 mean?
Saul asks who is speaking, and the answer overturns his world: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”