About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
Parallel translations
- WEB As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
- KJV And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
- NKJV “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
- NASB “But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,
- NLT “As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
On the road near Damascus at midday, a great light from heaven suddenly blazed around Paul. The risen Christ broke into his journey with overwhelming glory.
Overview
This is the first of three accounts of Paul's conversion in Acts (chapters 9, 22, 26). The light brighter than the noonday sun reveals the glory of the risen and exalted Christ. God's grace seized Paul while he was actively pursuing evil, showing that salvation is God's sovereign initiative, not man's seeking.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Rev 1:16He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
- Acts 26:12–18In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
- Acts 9:3–8As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
- Matt 17:2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
- Gen 15:2But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
- 2 Sam 8:6Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
- Isa 24:23The moon will be confounded and the sun will be ashamed; for the LORD of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders with great glory.
- Gen 14:15During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 22:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.