Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.
Parallel translations
- WEB Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.
- KJV And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
- BSB At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized,
- NKJV Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
- NASB And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;
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
Something like scales fell from Saul's eyes; he regained sight and was baptized. Inward and outward renewal come together.
Overview
The falling scales picture both Saul's restored vision and the lifting of his spiritual blindness. His immediate baptism publicly confesses his new allegiance to Jesus as Lord. The man who set out to destroy the church now openly joins it through the sign of cleansing and new birth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Cor 3:14But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.
- Acts 22:16Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
- Acts 2:38Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 13:12–13Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
- 2 Cor 4:6seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Acts 13:37–38But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
- Acts 2:41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 9:18 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.