Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights Barnabas's crucial role not just as a witness, but as an active intercessor. He didn't just relay Saul's story; he vouched for him, taking personal responsibility to bridge the chasm of fear and doubt between the fearful disciples and the transformed persecutor.
Fresh from his dramatic conversion and a brief, dangerous time in Damascus, Saul arrives in Jerusalem, but the believers are terrified of him, remembering him only as a brutal persecutor. It's Barnabas, a man known for his kindness and encouragement, who vouches for Saul, bringing him to Peter and James to explain the miraculous encounter on the road and Saul’s bold preaching in Damascus. This act of trust and mediation is crucial for Saul to finally be integrated into the early church community.
Imagine being the biggest threat to a group, and then showing up wanting to join them. How do you bridge that gap? Saul faced this exact moment, and Barnabas was the key.
When Saul, the former persecutor, arrived in Jerusalem after his conversion, the disciples were terrified. They knew him as a brutal enemy, and his sudden appearance filled them with fear and disbelief.
This is where Barnabas steps in, a figure known for his kindness and encouragement. He didn't just accept Saul's story; he actively vouched for him. Barnabas acted as a vital bridge, taking Saul directly to the apostles and recounting the incredible details of his conversion: how he’d encountered the risen Lord on the road and how boldly he’d already begun proclaiming Jesus in Damascus.
Barnabas's intervention wasn't just a formality; it was an act of courageous faith. He trusted the radical transformation he saw in Saul and, in doing so, helped a community trust him too. It highlights how one person’s belief and advocacy can open doors for another, especially when facing deep-seated suspicion.
What fuels someone to go from persecuting Christians to boldly preaching Christ, especially when the very people they're trying to reach are terrified of them?
The core of Saul's (now Paul's) transformation and subsequent boldness wasn't just a change of heart; it was a direct encounter with the divine.
Barnabas explains to the apostles how Saul had seen the Lord and how the Lord had spoken to him. This wasn't just a vague spiritual experience; it was a commission received directly from Jesus Himself.
This divine encounter was the bedrock of Saul's newfound boldness in Damascus. He wasn't just sharing an opinion; he was relaying a powerful message from the ultimate authority. This personal revelation and commission gave him the unshakeable confidence to preach Jesus, even in the face of danger and disbelief. It’s a powerful reminder that true, lasting boldness in faith comes from a genuine encounter with God and a clear understanding of His calling.
Understand the original words
kyrios · Greek Noun
A title of honor and authority given to a person of high rank or divine status; in the New Testament, it is used for the resurrected Jesus, acknowledging His sovereignty and lordship over all creation.
apostolos · Greek Noun
One of the twelve chosen by Jesus, or others specifically commissioned by Him, to be official witnesses of His life, death, and resurrection, endowed with authority to lead the early church.
Iēsous · Greek Noun
The specific personal name of the promised Messiah of Israel; it signifies the identity of the human Jesus as the Savior and the eternal Son of God.
Barnabas's intervention highlights the deep-seated fear and suspicion many early Christians held towards Saul due to his violent past. His willingness to bridge this gap, vouching for Saul based on Saul's own testimony of his encounter with Jesus, was crucial for Saul's integration into the early church and his future ministry.
c. AD 33-34
Saul's Conversion on Damascus Road
Saul, a fierce persecutor of Christians, has a dramatic encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, leading to his conversion.
c. AD 33-36
Saul Preaches in Damascus
After his conversion, Saul begins to preach boldly in Damascus, a city under the control of Aretas IV, king of Nabataea, leading to plots against his life.
c. AD 36
Saul Escapes Damascus
Fearing for his life due to the opposition in Damascus, Saul is lowered in a basket over the city walls by his new disciples and escapes.
c. AD 36-37
Saul Travels to Jerusalem
Saul travels to Jerusalem, seeking to connect with the apostles. He attempts to join the Christian community but is met with fear and disbelief due to his past persecution.
This passage directly connects to Paul's conversion experience and his subsequent immediate journey to Arabia and then Damascus, mirroring the 'how he had seen the Lord' and 'spoken to him' part of Acts 9:27.
Acts 26:12-18Here, Paul himself recounts his conversion to King Agrippa, detailing the appearance of Jesus and the divine commission, which functions as a personal testimony similar to what Barnabas is relaying in Acts 9:27.
Philippians 3:7-8Paul reflects on his past life as a persecutor and contrasts it with the immense value he now places on knowing Christ, echoing the radical transformation that necessitated the validation described in Acts 9:27.
Acts 4:36-37This passage introduces Barnabas as a man of encouragement and support, highlighting his character which, as seen in Acts 9:27, enabled him to bridge the gap between the fearful disciples and the newly converted Saul.
1 John 4:1This verse warns against believing every spirit and calls for testing, providing context for why the early disciples in Jerusalem would have been initially afraid of Saul and why Barnabas's testimony was crucial for validation, as described in Acts 9:27.
jfbActs 9:27: "But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."
- But Barnabas … brought him to the apostles—that is, to Peter and James; for "other of the apostles saw I none," says he fourteen years after (Ga 1:18, 19). Probably none of the other apostles were there at the time (Ac 4:36). Barnabas being of Cyprus, which was within a…
jfbActs 9:26-31: "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple."
Ac 9:26-31. Saul's First Visit to Jerusalem after His Conversion.26. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem—"three years after" his conversion, and particularly "to see Peter" (Ga 1:18); no doubt because he was the leading apostle, and to communicate to him the prescribed sphere of his labors, specially to "the Gentiles."he assa…
The verse highlights Barnabas's crucial role not just as a witness, but as an active intercessor. He didn't just relay Saul's story; he vouched for him, taking personal responsibility to bridge the chasm of fear and doubt between the fearful disciples and the transformed persecutor.
Fresh from his dramatic conversion and a brief, dangerous time in Damascus, Saul arrives in Jerusalem, but the believers are terrified of him, remembering him only as a brutal persecutor. It's Barnabas, a man known for his kindness and encouragement, who vouches for Saul, bringing him to Peter and James to explain the miraculous encounter on the road and Saul’s bold preaching in Damascus. This act of trust and mediation is crucial for Saul to finally be integrated into the early church community.
Fresh from his dramatic conversion and a brief, dangerous time in Damascus, Saul arrives in Jerusalem, but the believers are terrified of him, remembering him only as a brutal persecutor. It's Barnabas, a man known for his kindness and encouragement, who vouches for Saul, bringing him to Peter and James to explain the miraculous encounter on the road and Saul’s bold preaching in Damascus. This act of trust and mediation is crucial for Saul to finally be integrated into the early church community.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Acts 9:27 is available in the Sola app.
c. AD 37— this verse
Barnabas Vindicates Saul
Barnabas, a respected leader, vouches for Saul's sincerity and his encounter with Jesus, presenting Saul to Peter and James, the key leaders in Jerusalem.
c. AD 37
Saul Preaches and Disputes in Jerusalem
After gaining acceptance, Saul engages in bold discussions with Hellenistic Jews in Jerusalem, which again stirs up hostility, leading to a plot on his life.
c. AD 37
Saul Sent to Tarsus
To protect him, the Jerusalem believers send Saul back to his hometown of Tarsus in Cilicia, where he continues his ministry.
"But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus." — The verse highlights Barnabas's crucial role not just as a witness, but as an active intercessor. He didn't just relay Saul's story; he vouched for him, taking personal responsibility to bridge the…
