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Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
Acts 9:27 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
  • KJV But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
  • BSB Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.
  • NKJV But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
  • NASB But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus.

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

Barnabas vouched for Saul, telling the apostles of his conversion and bold preaching. An encourager bridges the gap of distrust.

Overview

True to his name as son of encouragement, Barnabas takes the risk of advocating for Saul. By recounting Saul's vision of the Lord and his fearless witness, he secures Saul's acceptance among the apostles. His mediation models the grace of welcoming the repentant and building unity in the church.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 19

  • Acts 4:36Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,
  • Acts 4:29Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,
  • Eph 6:19–20on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
  • Acts 4:13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.
  • Acts 15:25–26it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
  • Acts 11:25Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.
  • Acts 9:20–22Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
  • Acts 13:2As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”
  • Acts 15:35–39But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
  • 1 Cor 15:8and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
  • Acts 12:25Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.
  • Acts 11:22The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,
  • Gal 1:18–19Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
  • Acts 9:3–6As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
  • Acts 15:2Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
  • Gal 2:9and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.
  • 1 Cor 9:6Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
  • Acts 9:17Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
  • Gal 2:13And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Acts videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Acts 9:27YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ActsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 9:27 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.