Acts 9:10

Ananias Sent to Saul

10 Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus {named} Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he said, "Behold, [here] I [am], Lord!"

Acts 9:10 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 9:10

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus
Who perhaps came hither upon the persecution at Jerusalem, or rather might have lived here some time; ( Acts 9:13 ) that he was more than a private or ordinary disciple of Christ seems manifest, from his being sent to Saul on such an, important affair; from his putting his hands upon him, upon which he was filled with the Holy Ghost; and from his baptizing him: some think he was one of the seventy disciples; some say he was a deacon; but it is certain he was not one of the first seven; others affirm he was a presbyter, and some report that he was afterwards bishop of Damascus, and died a martyr there; but these are things not to be depended on:

named Ananias;
a Jewish name, the same with Hananiah, ( Daniel 1:6 ) there was an high priest of this name, ( Acts 23:2 ) and it was a name in much use among the Jews; frequent mention is made in the Misnic and Talmudic writings of R. Hananiah, or Ananias:

and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias;
by "the Lord", is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, as is evident from ( Acts 9:17 ) who appeared to Ananias in a vision; the Arabic version adds, "by night"; perhaps in a dream, as the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph the husband of Mary, and called him by his name Ananias, to which he answered:

and he said, behold, I am here, Lord;
in like manner as Samuel did, when a child, when the Lord called to him; showing his readiness to hearken to his voice, to do his will, and obey his orders, be they what they would.

Acts 9:10 In-Context

8 So Saul got up from the ground, but [although] his eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought [him] into Damascus.

9 And he was {unable to see} [for] three days, and he did not eat or drink.

10 Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus {named} Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he said, "Behold, [here] I [am], Lord!"

11 And the Lord [said] to him, "Get up, go to the street called 'Straight' and in the house of Judas look for {a man named Saul from Tarsus}. For behold, he is praying,

12 and he has seen in a vision a man {named} Ananias coming in and placing hands on him so that he may regain [his] sight."

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "by name"