The Meaning of Acts 14:9 Explained

Acts 14:9

KJV: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

YLT: this one was hearing Paul speaking, who, having stedfastly beheld him, and having seen that he hath faith to be saved,

Darby: This man heard Paul speaking, who, fixing his eyes on him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed,

ASV: The same heard Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The same  heard  Paul  speak:  who  stedfastly beholding  him,  and  perceiving  that  he had  faith  to be healed, 

What does Acts 14:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 14:1-13 - Varying Treatment Of The Message
From Antioch the Apostles passed to Iconium, the capital of Lycaonia. It is most illuminating to note the source of their success: The Lord bore witness unto the word of His grace. We must not expect success if that divine witness is absent. There is nothing more vital than this. The secret of joyful and successful service is the consciousness that, in every sermon and address, there is an unseen fellow-worker who is listening to each sentence and punctuating with his strong affirmation each utterance which magnifies the grace of God.
Lystra was situated in the highlands, amid a wild, mountainous country. In Paul's audience here he saw a cripple who had faith to be healed, Acts 14:9. What quick insight God gives the soul that lives in fellowship with Him! There was an old tradition that the gods had frequented this very region. Jupiter, the father of the gods, was the guardian deity of Lystra. There was, accordingly, an especial reason for the excitement among these simple and untutored folk. Man has ever longed for a daysman, and believed that there might be commerce between heaven and earth. Oh, that we were as quick to worship and adore the Son of God! [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 14

1  Paul and Barnabas are persecuted from Iconium
8  At Lystra Paul heals a cripple, whereupon they are reputed as gods
19  Paul is stoned
21  They pass through various churches, confirming the disciples in faith and patience
26  Returning to Antioch, they report what God had done with them

Greek Commentary for Acts 14:9

The same [ουτος]
Just “this one.” [source]
Heard [ηκουεν]
Imperfect active, was listening to Paul speaking Either at the gate or in the market place (Acts 17:17) Paul was preaching to such as would listen or could understand his Greek (Koiné). Ramsay (St. Paul the Traveller, pp. 114, 116) thinks that the cripple was a proselyte. At any rate he may have heard of the miracles wrought at Iconium (Acts 14:3) and Paul may have spoken of the work of healing wrought by Jesus. This man was “no mendicant pretender,” for his history was known from his birth. Fastening his eyes upon him (ατενισας αυτωι — atenisas autōi). Just as in Acts 13:9 of Paul and Acts 1:10 which see. Paul saw a new hope in the man‘s eyes and face. He had faith Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse. To be made whole (του σωτηναι — tou sōthēnai). Genitive of articular first aorist passive infinitive (purpose and result combined) of σωζω — sōzō to make sound and also to save. Here clearly to make whole or well as in Luke 7:50 (cf. Acts 3:16; Acts 4:10). [source]
Fastening his eyes upon him [ατενισας αυτωι]
Just as in Acts 13:9 of Paul and Acts 1:10 which see. Paul saw a new hope in the man‘s eyes and face. [source]
He had faith [εχει πιστιν]
Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse. To be made whole (του σωτηναι — tou sōthēnai). Genitive of articular first aorist passive infinitive (purpose and result combined) of σωζω — sōzō to make sound and also to save. Here clearly to make whole or well as in Luke 7:50 (cf. Acts 3:16; Acts 4:10). [source]
To be made whole [του σωτηναι]
Genitive of articular first aorist passive infinitive (purpose and result combined) of σωζω — sōzō to make sound and also to save. Here clearly to make whole or well as in Luke 7:50 (cf. Acts 3:16; Acts 4:10). [source]
Heard [ἤκουε]
The force of the imperfect should be given here. He was hearing while Paul preached. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 14:9

Romans 14:2 Hath faith [πιστευει]
Like εχει πιστιν — echei pistin (Acts 14:9). But he that is weak (ο δε αστενων — ho de asthenōn). One would expect ος δε — hos de (but that one) in contrast with ος μεν — hos men ο — Ho is demonstrative with δε — de sometimes, but here is probably just the article with αστενων — asthenōn Herbs From λαχανω — lachanō to dig. Hence garden herbs or vegetables. Denney feels certain that Paul has in mind a party of vegetarians in Rome. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 14:9 mean?

This [man] heard - Paul speaking who having looked intently at him and having seen that he has faith - to be healed
οὗτος ἤκουσεν τοῦ Παύλου λαλοῦντος ὃς ἀτενίσας αὐτῷ καὶ ἰδὼν ὅτι ἔχει πίστιν τοῦ σωθῆναι

οὗτος  This  [man] 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἤκουσεν  heard 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Παύλου  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
λαλοῦντος  speaking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
ἀτενίσας  having  looked  intently 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀτενίζω  
Sense: to fix the eyes on, gaze upon.
αὐτῷ  at  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἰδὼν  having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἔχει  he  has 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
πίστιν  faith 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: πίστις  
Sense: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σωθῆναι  to  be  healed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἐκσῴζω 
Sense: to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction.