The Road to Damascus: Paul's Conversion

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The Road to Damascus: Paul's Conversion

The Conversion of Paul - Bible Story

Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus is one of the most dramatic transformation stories in the Bible. Before becoming the Apostle Paul, Saul fiercely persecuted Christians, traveling to Damascus with authority to arrest followers of Jesus. Along the way, a brilliant light from heaven surrounded him, and Jesus appeared, saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" When Saul asked who was speaking, Jesus replied, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." Blinded by the encounter, Saul was led into Damascus, where he spent three days praying, fasting, and waiting for God's next instruction (Acts 9:1-9). Although Scripture refers to him as Saul during this event, Acts 13:9 later explains that Saul was also called Paul.

God then sent a disciple named Ananias to restore Saul's sight and reveal His purpose for Saul's life. Though fearful because of Saul's reputation, Ananias obeyed, laid hands on him, and Saul's blindness was healed as something like scales fell from his eyes. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saul was baptized and immediately began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. His dramatic change astonished everyone who had known him as a persecutor of the church. Paul's conversion marked the beginning of his calling as God's chosen messenger to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, making this account in Acts 9:1-22 one of the defining moments in the history of the early Christian church.

Meaning of Paul's Road to Damascus Story

Paul persecuted Christians under the legal structure of Judaism; as such, he was charged to arrest Jewish Christians, but had no authority over Gentile Christians.

Paul's blindness illustrates Christ's teachings on spiritual blindness (John 9:39). As long as Paul saw things from his own perspective, he was spiritually blind. Only by having his earthly vision taken away does Paul become capable of truly seeing Christ in glory and truth. This action also drives Paul to submit to the Church for baptism.

That Paul was a chosen vessel of God does not mean that he had no free will in the matter. Rather, it indicates that God had selected Paul, knowing that he would freely accept and be capable of doing the work set before him.

Commentary on Acts 9

So ill informed was Saul, that he thought he ought to do all he could against the name of Christ, and that he did God service thereby; he seemed to breathe in this as in his element. Let us not despair of renewing grace for the conversion of the greatest sinners, nor let such despair of the pardoning mercy of God for the greatest sin. It is a signal token of Divine favor, if God, by the inward working of his grace, or the outward events of his providence, stops us from prosecuting or executing sinful purposes. Saul saw that Just One, ch. (Acts 22:14 , Acts 26:13). How near to us is the unseen world! 

It is but for God to draw aside the veil, and objects are presented to the view, compared with which, whatever is most admired on earth is mean and contemptible. Saul submitted without reserve, desirous to know what the Lord Jesus would have him to do. Christ's discoveries of himself to poor souls are humbling; they lay them very low, in mean thoughts of themselves. For three days Saul took no food, and it pleased God to leave him for that time without relief. His sins were now set in order before him; he was in the dark concerning his own spiritual state and wounded in spirit for sin. When a sinner is brought to a proper sense of his own state and conduct, he will cast himself wholly on the mercy of the Saviour, asking what he would have him to do. God will direct the humbled sinner, and though he does not often bring transgressors to joy and peace in believing, without sorrows and distress of conscience, under which the soul is deeply engaged as to eternal things, yet happy are those who sow in tears, for they shall reap in joy. (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Read the full scripture account of Paul's conversion on the Road to Damascus below and find articles to learn more about this Bible story!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain/Valentin de Boulogne

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Acts 9:1-22

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.
14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

Acts 9:1-9

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

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