Acts 9:5
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.
Original Language Analysis
Τίς
Who
G5101
Τίς
Who
Strong's:
G5101
Word #:
3 of 20
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
Κύριος
Lord
G2962
Κύριος
Lord
Strong's:
G2962
Word #:
5 of 20
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
6 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Κύριος
Lord
G2962
Κύριος
Lord
Strong's:
G2962
Word #:
8 of 20
supreme in authority, i.e., (as noun) controller; by implication, master (as a respectful title)
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
12 of 20
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
ὃν
whom
G3739
ὃν
whom
Strong's:
G3739
Word #:
13 of 20
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
διώκεις·
persecutest
G1377
διώκεις·
persecutest
Strong's:
G1377
Word #:
15 of 20
compare the base of g1169 and g1249); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute
σκληρόν
it is hard
G4642
σκληρόν
it is hard
Strong's:
G4642
Word #:
16 of 20
dry, i.e., hard or tough (figuratively, harsh, severe)
πρὸς
against
G4314
πρὸς
against
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
18 of 20
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
Cross References
Job 9:4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?1 Timothy 1:13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.Isaiah 45:9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
Historical Context
Saul believed he served God by persecuting the 'blasphemous' Christian sect. This revelation inverted his entire worldview: he had been fighting God while claiming to defend him. The psychological and theological shock left him blind for three days (v.9), fasting and praying. His subsequent preaching in Damascus (v.20) demonstrated radical conversion.
Questions for Reflection
- Have you ever opposed God's work while believing you were serving him?
- How does recognizing Jesus in other believers affect your treatment of fellow Christians?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest—Saul's initial address 'Lord' (Κύριε) could mean 'Sir' or 'Master', but Christ's self-revelation transformed it into full recognition of deity. I am Jesus (ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς) echoes Yahweh's 'I AM' self-disclosure (Exodus 3:14), claiming divine identity. Whom thou persecutest repeats verse 4's accusation, drilling home the reality that opposing Christians means opposing Christ himself. This encounter shattered Saul's theology: the crucified Jesus was indeed Israel's Messiah and God incarnate, not a blasphemer worthy of destruction.