But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night 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,
- BSB but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order 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 Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
- Acts 25:3And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
- Acts 20:3And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
- Acts 20:19Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
- Acts 9:29–30And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
- Judg 16:2–3And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
- Acts 14:5–6And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
- Acts 23:30And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
- Acts 17:10–15And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
- Acts 25:11For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
- Ps 21:11For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform.
- Acts 23:12–21And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
- Ps 37:32–33The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
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 9:24 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.