but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
Parallel translations
- WEB but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
- KJV But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
- NKJV But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.
- NASB but their plot became known to Saul. They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;
- NLT They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.
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
Saul learned of the plot as his enemies watched the city gates to kill him. God preserved him to continue his mission.
Overview
The vigilant guarding of the gates shows how serious and organized the threat had become. Yet Saul's awareness of the plot reflects God's protective hand over his chosen servant. The Lord who commissioned him also preserves him until his work is done.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 2 Cor 11:32In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
- Acts 25:3to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
- Acts 20:3where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
- Acts 20:19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
- Acts 9:29–30He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
- Judg 16:2–3When the Gazites heard that Samson was there, they surrounded that place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They were quiet throughout the night, saying, “Let us wait until dawn; then we will kill him.”
- Acts 14:5–6But when the Gentiles and Jews, together with their rulers, set out to mistreat and stone them,
- Acts 23:30When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
- Acts 17:10–15As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
- Acts 25:11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
- Ps 21:11Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.
- Acts 23:12–21When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
- Ps 37:32–33Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,
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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 9:24 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.