The Meaning of Acts 9:26 Explained

Acts 9:26

KJV: And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

YLT: And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, did try to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple,

Darby: And having arrived at Jerusalem he essayed to join himself to the disciples, and all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

ASV: And when he was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when Saul  was come  to  Jerusalem,  he assayed  to join himself  to the disciples:  but  they were  all  afraid  of him,  and believed  not  that  he was  a disciple. 

What does Acts 9:26 Mean?

Study Notes

gone to Jerusalem
The Acts records four visits of Paul to Jerusalem after conversion:
(1) Acts 9:23-30 . This seems identical with the visit of Galatians 1:18 ; Galatians 1:19 . The "apostles" of verse Acts 9:27 were Peter, and James, the Lord's brother.
(2) Acts 11:30 . Paul may have been in Jerusalem during the events of Acts 12:1-24 ; Acts 12:25 .
(3) Acts 15:1-30 ; Galatians 2:2-10 .
(4) Acts 21:17 to Acts 23:35 .

Verse Meaning

Perhaps the fact that Saul had not sought out the apostles and other Christians in Jerusalem for three years following his conversion made the believers there suspicious of him (cf. Galatians 1:18). They had not met him personally, and since they were being persecuted they may have wondered if Saul had adopted clandestine methods to oppose them.

Context Summary

Acts 9:23-31 - Welcomed As A Brother
He who feeds on Scripture must wax strong. The new convert started at once to testify of the Savior. We have no right to keep to ourselves the great treasures that we have discovered, but must copy the lepers of 2 Kings 7:9. He probably showed from a comparison between the predictions of the Old Testament and the facts of our Lord's life, that the key exactly fitted the wards of the ancient lock, and so proved its genuineness.
Those many days in Acts 9:23 probably include the three years spent in Arabia, Galatians 1:17. It was as though Paul wanted time and solitude for quiet thought. We may suppose that he went to Sinai, and there amid the silences of the school where Moses had studied before him, he received of the Lord Jesus that which also he was commissioned to pass on to the Church. From Arabia, he returned to Damascus; then happened Acts 9:24-25. Finally he came to Jerusalem, where he had the opportunity of comparing his teaching with that of the Apostles, Galatians 1:18-24. A vision led him to leave Jerusalem, Acts 22:17-21. While at Tarsus, he probably founded the churches in Cilicia, Acts 15:23; Acts 15:41. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 9

1  Saul, going toward Damascus, is stricken down to the earth,
8  and led blind to Damascus;
10  is called to the apostleship;
18  and is baptized by Ananias
20  He preaches Christ boldly
23  The Jews lay wait to kill him;
29  so do the Grecians, but he escapes both
31  The church having rest, Peter heals Aeneas;
36  and restores Tabitha to life

Greek Commentary for Acts 9:26

He assayed [επειραζεν]
Imperfect active of conative action. [source]
To join himself [κολλασται]
Present middle (direct) infinitive of conative action again. Same word κολλαω — kollaō in Luke 15:15; Acts 10:28. See note on Matthew 19:5 for discussion. Were all afraid of him (pantes ephobounto auton). They were fearing him. Imperfect middle picturing the state of mind of the disciples who had vivid recollections of his conduct when last here. What memories Saul had on this return journey to Jerusalem after three years. He had left a conquering hero of Pharisaism. He returns distrusted by the disciples and regarded by the Pharisees as a renegade and a turncoat. He made no effort to get in touch with the Sanhedrin who had sent him to Damascus. He had escaped the plots of the Jews in Damascus only to find himself the object of suspicion by the disciples in Jerusalem who had no proof of his sincerity in his alleged conversion. Not believing They had probably heard of his conversion, but they frankly disbelieved the reports and regarded him as a hypocrite or a spy in a new role to ruin them. Was (παντες εποβουντο αυτον — estin). The present tense is here retained in indirect discourse according to the common Greek idiom. [source]
Were all afraid of him [pantes ephobounto auton)]
They were fearing him. Imperfect middle picturing the state of mind of the disciples who had vivid recollections of his conduct when last here. What memories Saul had on this return journey to Jerusalem after three years. He had left a conquering hero of Pharisaism. He returns distrusted by the disciples and regarded by the Pharisees as a renegade and a turncoat. He made no effort to get in touch with the Sanhedrin who had sent him to Damascus. He had escaped the plots of the Jews in Damascus only to find himself the object of suspicion by the disciples in Jerusalem who had no proof of his sincerity in his alleged conversion. [source]
Not believing [mē pisteuontes)]
They had probably heard of his conversion, but they frankly disbelieved the reports and regarded him as a hypocrite or a spy in a new role to ruin them. Was (παντες εποβουντο αυτον — estin). The present tense is here retained in indirect discourse according to the common Greek idiom. [source]
Was [παντες εποβουντο αυτον]
The present tense is here retained in indirect discourse according to the common Greek idiom. [source]
Join himself []
See on Acts 5:13; and Luke 15:15; and Luke 10:11. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 9:26

Luke 15:15 Joined himself [ἐκολλήθη]
The verb means to glue or cement. Very expressive here, implying that he forced himself upon the citizen, who was unwilling to engage him, and who took him into service only upon persistent entreaty. “The unhappy wretch is a sort of appendage to a strange personality” (Godet). Compare Acts 9:26. Wyc., cleaved. See, also, on Acts 5:13. [source]
Acts 5:13 Join himself [κολλᾶσθαι]
See on Luke 15:15; and Luke 10:11. In all but two instances (Romans 12:9; 1 Corinthians 6:17), the word implies a forced, unnatural, or unexpected union. Thus Philip would not, without a special command, have “joined himself” to the chariot of the Ethiopian prince (Acts 8:29). Saul's attempt to join himself to the apostles was regarded by them with suspicion (Acts 9:26); and the fact that certain persons “clave to” Paul in Athens is expressly contrasted with the attitude of the citizens at large. The sense of an unnatural union comes out clearly in 1 Corinthians 6:16. [source]
Acts 17:34 Clave unto him and believed [κολλητεντες αυτωι επιστευσαν]
First aorist passive of this strong word κολλαω — kollaō to glue to, common in Acts (Acts 5:13; Acts 8:29; Acts 9:26; Acts 10:28) No sermon is a failure which leads a group of men (ανδρες — andres) to believe (ingressive aorist of πιστευω — pisteuō) in Jesus Christ. Many so-called great or grand sermons reap no such harvest. [source]
Acts 26:21 Assayed to kill me [επειρωντο διαχειρισασται]
Conative imperfect middle of πειραω — peiraō the old form of the later Koiné{[28928]}š πειραζω — peirazō so common in the Koiné, but in N.T. here only. Some MSS. have it in Acts 9:26; Hebrews 4:15. The old verb διαχειριζω — diacheirizō to take in hand, middle to lay hands on, to slay, occurs in N.T. only here and Acts 5:30 which see. [source]
Acts 5:13 Join [κολλασται]
Present middle infinitive of κολλαω — kollaō old verb to cleave to like glue as in Luke 15:15 which see. Seven times in Acts (Acts 9:26; Acts 10:28; Acts 17:34). The outsiders (the rest) preferred, many of them, to remain outside for the present, especially the rulers. Howbeit the people (αλλο λαος — all'̇̇ho laos). Probably individuals among the people, the populace as distinct from the rulers and hostile outsiders. [source]
Galatians 1:18 To visit Cephas [ιστορησαι Κηπαν]
First aorist infinitive of ιστορεω — historeō old verb (from ιστωρ — histōr one who knows by inquiry), to gain knowledge by visiting. Only here in N.T. If we turn to Acts 9:26-30, we shall see that the visit of two weeks to Peter came after Barnabas endorsed Paul to the suspicious disciples in Jerusalem and probably while he was preaching in the city. It was a delightful experience, but Peter did not start Paul upon his apostleship. He visited him as an equal. Peter no doubt had much to say to Paul. [source]
Galatians 1:22 By face [τωι προσωπωι]
Associative instrumental case. Of Judea (της Ιουδαιας — tēs Ioudaias). As distinct from Jerusalem, for he had once scattered the church there and had revisited them before coming to Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30). In Acts 9:31 the singular of εκκλησια — ekklēsia is used, but in a geographic sense for Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. [source]
Galatians 1:22 Of Judea [της Ιουδαιας]
As distinct from Jerusalem, for he had once scattered the church there and had revisited them before coming to Tarsus (Acts 9:26-30). In Acts 9:31 the singular of εκκλησια — ekklēsia is used, but in a geographic sense for Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 9:26 mean?

Having arrived then in Jerusalem he was attempting to join the disciples And all were afraid of him not believing that he is a disciple
Παραγενόμενος δὲ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπείραζεν κολλᾶσθαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς καὶ πάντες ἐφοβοῦντο αὐτόν μὴ πιστεύοντες ὅτι ἐστὶν μαθητής

Παραγενόμενος  Having  arrived 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παραγίνομαι  
Sense: to be present, to come near, approach.
Ἰερουσαλὴμ  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰερουσαλήμ  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
ἐπείραζεν  he  was  attempting 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πειράζω  
Sense: to try whether a thing can be done.
κολλᾶσθαι  to  join 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: κολλάω  
Sense: to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together.
μαθηταῖς  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
ἐφοβοῦντο  were  afraid  of 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
πιστεύοντες  believing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἐστὶν  he  is 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
μαθητής  a  disciple 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.