Acts 26:14

¹² In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

¹³ About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

¹⁶ ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
KJV: And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
WEB: When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
ASV: And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
DARBY: And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against goads.
BLB: And all of us having fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against the goads.’

ÅB: og da vi alle falt til jorden, hørte jeg en røst si til meg på det hebraiske mål: Saul! Saul! hvorfor forfølger du meg? det blir hårdt for deg å stampe mot brodden.
OTB: Vi falt alle til jorden, og jeg hørte en stemme som talte til meg på hebraisk: ‘Saul, Saul, hvorfor forfølger du meg? Det er hardt for deg å stå imot broddene.’
B1930: og da vi alle falt til jorden, hørte jeg en røst si til mig på det hebraiske mål: Saul! Saul! hvorfor forfølger du mig? det blir hårdt for dig å stampe mot brodden.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 21:40
Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
Read in context
Acts 22:2
When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
Read in context
Acts 9:7
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
Read in context
Acts 22:7–9
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
Read in context
Zechariah 2:8
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
Read in context
1 Corinthians 10:22
Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Read in context
Zechariah 12:2
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem.
Read in context
Acts 9:4–5
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
Read in context