The most ancient manuscripts actually say Saul "preached Jesus" in the synagogues, not "Christ." This highlights his immediate focus on the person of Jesus, aiming to prove to the Jews that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, was indeed the promised Messiah, the Son of God. This wasn't just a theological declaration; it was a radical, face-to-face challenge to the very people he once persecuted.
And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just moments after being healed and strengthened in Damascus, Saul immediately entered the Jewish synagogues, not as an accuser, but as a bold Proclaimer. He began to preach about Jesus, forcefully declaring to the very people he once persecuted that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, directly challenging their previous understanding of the Messiah. This dramatic turn shows the immediate and powerful impact of his encounter with the risen Christ, as he risked his life to share the gospel he once fought against.
Imagine a radical shift in your core beliefs, happening overnight. Saul's conversion wasn't a slow burn; it was an explosion of divine power.
The verse emphasizes "straightway," meaning immediately. This wasn't a hesitant, "let me test the waters" kind of conversion. Saul, who had been a fierce persecutor, became an ardent preacher without delay.
What was the absolute heart of Saul's first public message? It wasn't about himself, but about the One who changed everything.
The focus here is on "Jesus" and the declaration that He is the "Son of God." Scholars note that the original text likely read "Jesus" rather than "Christ" in this specific instance, emphasizing the individual name.
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Saul didn't hide in a corner. He walked straight into the very places that represented his former allegiance and spoke the unthinkable.
The choice of the synagogues as Saul's first preaching venue is significant. These were the centers of Jewish religious life and authority, the very places where opposition to Jesus was strongest.
Understand the original words
kērussō · Greek Verb
To declare, preach, or make publicly known. It carries the weight of announcing a message with authority and urgency.
huios theou · Greek Noun phrase
A title denoting Jesus' unique, divine nature, identity, and eternal relationship with the Father. It affirms His divinity and Messianic authority as the one sent by God to save humanity.
existēmi · Greek Verb
A state of astonishment or wonder, often resulting from witnessing a divine act or an unexpected reversal of events, such as the radical conversion of a persecutor.
portheō · Greek Verb
Metaphorical term indicating violent destruction, persecution, or the laying waste of a community or group. In the NT, it is used to describe the severity of the opposition against the early church.
epikaleō to onoma · Greek Verb phrase
A technical designation for believers in the early church, signifying those who actively worship, pray to, and acknowledge the authority of Jesus as Lord.
archiereus · Greek Noun
The highest-ranking religious authorities in Israel, responsible for the Temple services and representing the religious establishment that often opposed the early Christian movement.
Christos · Greek Noun
Referring to the promised Davidic King and Savior of Israel; the term signifies that Jesus is the culmination of Old Testament prophecy and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.
synchynnō · Greek Verb
To be in a state of confusion, baffled, or mentally paralyzed due to an inability to refute an argument; here, it refers to the inability of the opponents to withstand Saul's biblical defense of Jesus.
Saul's immediate and bold proclamation of Jesus as the Son of God in the very synagogues where he once persecuted believers highlights the radical nature of his conversion and the urgent call he felt to share the gospel.
c. 34 AD— this verse
Saul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus
Saul, a zealous Pharisee actively persecuting early Christians, has a dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus on his way to Damascus to arrest believers.
c. 34 AD
Saul Spends Time in Arabia
Following his conversion, Saul withdraws to Arabia for a period of reflection and instruction, likely solidifying his understanding of Jesus as the Messiah.
c. 34 AD
Saul Returns to Damascus and Preaches
Upon returning to Damascus, Saul immediately begins proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God in the local synagogues, astonishing those who knew his former hostility.
c. 35 AD
Saul Escapes from Damascus
Jewish authorities in Damascus plot to kill Saul, but he is secretly lowered over the city wall in a basket by disciples and flees to Jerusalem.
c. 35 AD
Saul Visits Jerusalem and Barnabas
Saul travels to Jerusalem and attempts to join the disciples, but they are initially afraid of him until Barnabas vouches for his conversion.
c. 37-40 AD
Saul Sent to Tarsus
Due to plots against him in Jerusalem, Saul is sent by the brothers to his hometown of Tarsus, where he likely continues his ministry for several years.
This verse directly echoes the core of Paul's proclamation in Acts 9:20, affirming John the Baptist's testimony that Jesus is the Son of God, a central truth Paul immediately began to preach.
Acts 13:15This passage shows Paul continuing his practice of speaking in synagogues, demonstrating that his actions in Acts 9:20 were consistent with his established ministry within Jewish communal worship.
Galatians 1:16Paul's own account of his calling highlights his immediate obedience and direct commission, aligning with the 'straightway' proclamation in Acts 9:20 without consulting human authorities.
1 Timothy 3:16This verse summarizes the profound mystery of Christ's divine nature – 'He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory' – reflecting the very truth Paul began proclaiming about Jesus being the Son of God.
Psalm 2:7This Old Testament psalm directly declares 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father,' a prophetic statement that Paul would have used to demonstrate, from Scripture, that the Messiah Jesus is indeed the Son of God.
barnesActs 9:20: "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God."
And straightway - Immediately. It was an evidence of the genuineness of his conversion that he was willing at once to avow himself to be the friend of the Lord Jesus. He preached Christ - He proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ. See Acts 9:22. Many manuscripts read here Jesus instead of Christ. Griesbach has adopted this reading. Such is also the Syriac, the Vulgate, and the Ethiopic. The reading accor…
jfbActs 9:20: "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God."
20-22. preached Christ … that he is the Son of God—rather, "preached Jesus," according to all the most ancient manuscripts and versions of the New Testament (so Ac 9:21, "all that call on this name," that is, Jesus; and Ac 9:22, "proving that this Jesus is very Christ").
The most ancient manuscripts actually say Saul "preached Jesus" in the synagogues, not "Christ." This highlights his immediate focus on the person of Jesus, aiming to prove to the Jews that this man, Jesus of Nazareth, was indeed the promised Messiah, the Son of God. This wasn't just a theological declaration; it was a radical, face-to-face challenge to the very people he once persecuted.
Just moments after being healed and strengthened in Damascus, Saul immediately entered the Jewish synagogues, not as an accuser, but as a bold Proclaimer. He began to preach about Jesus, forcefully declaring to the very people he once persecuted that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, directly challenging their previous understanding of the Messiah. This dramatic turn shows the immediate and powerful impact of his encounter with the risen Christ, as he risked his life to share the gospel he once fought against.
Just moments after being healed and strengthened in Damascus, Saul immediately entered the Jewish synagogues, not as an accuser, but as a bold Proclaimer. He began to preach about Jesus, forcefully declaring to the very people he once persecuted that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, directly challenging their previous understanding of the Messiah. This dramatic turn shows the immediate and powerful impact of his encounter with the risen Christ, as he risked his life to share the gospel he once fought against.
"And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come her…" — The most ancient manuscripts actually say Saul "preached Jesus" in the synagogues, not "Christ." This highlights his immediate focus on the person of Jesus, aiming to prove to the Jews that *this…
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Last reviewed October 2026
