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St. Paul

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › St. Mary and the Saints › St. Paul

The question

I have a question concerning St. Paul's conversion. In the Holy Book of Acts 9:7 it says that the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. In the Holy Book of Acts 22:9 it says, "and those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me." Why is there a difference in St. Luke's description versus St. Paul's?

The answer

"They heard a voice, but saw no man" They heard the sound, but not the articulated words, they heard St Paul speak, but saw not Him to whom he spoke, nor heard distinctly what was said to him: which reconciles it with what is said in the Holy Book of Acts 22:9, that they saw the light and were afraid which means they saw no man in the light, as Paul did, and that they heard not the voice of him that spoke to St Paul, so as to understand what he said, though they did hear a confused noise. A similar instance occurs in Holy Gospel of St. John 12:28-29, when the voice of God came from Heaven to our Lord Jesus Christ, "The people who stood by and heard it said it thundered." They heard the sound, the noise; they did not distinguish the words addressed to Him. (See also Daniel 10:7).

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 619 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.