Acts 9:5
Verse
Context
Sermons





Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Who art thou, Lord? - Τις ει, Κυριε; Who art thou, Sir? He had no knowledge who it was that addressed him, and would only use the term Κυριε, as any Roman or Greek would, merely as a term of civil respect. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest - "Thy enmity is against me and my religion; and the injuries which thou dost to my followers I consider as done to myself." The following words, making twenty in the original, and thirty in our version, are found in no Greek MS. The words are, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks: and he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said unto him. It is not very easy to account for such a large addition, which is not only not found in any Greek MS. yet discovered, but is wanting in the Itala, Erpen's Arabic, the Syriac, Coptic, Sahidic, and most of the Slavonian. It is found in the Vulgate, one of the Arabic, the Ethiopic, and Armenian; and was probably borrowed from Act 26:14, and some marginal notes. It is wanting also in the Complutensian edition, and in that of Bengel. Griesbach also leaves it out of the text. It is hard for thee, etc. - Σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιζειν. This is a proverbial expression, which exists, not only in substance, but even in so many words, both in the Greek and Latin writers. Κεντρον, kentron, signifies an ox goad, a piece of pointed iron stuck in the end of a stick, with which the ox is urged on when drawing the plough. The origin of the proverb seems to have been this: sometimes it happens that a restive or stubborn ox kicks back against the goad, and thus wounds himself more deeply: hence it has become a proverb to signify the fruitlessness and absurdity of rebelling against lawful authority, and the getting into greater difficulties by endeavoring to avoid trifling sufferings. So the proverb, Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim. Out of the cauldron into the fire. "Out of bad into worse." The saying exists, almost in the apostolic form, in the following writers. Euripides, in Bacch. ver. 793: - Θυοιμ' αν αυτῳ μαλλον, η θυμουμενος Προς κεντρα λακτιζοιμι, θνητος ων, Θεῳ. "I, who am a frail mortal, should rather sacrifice to him who is a God, than, by giving place to anger, kick against the goads." And Aeschylus, in Agamemnon, ver. 1633: - Προς κεντρα μη λακτιζε. Kick not against the goads. And again in Prometh. Vinct. ver. 323: - Προς κεντρα κωλον εκτενεις, ὁρων ὁτι Τραχυς μοναρχος ουδ' ὑπευθυνος κρατει. "Thou stretchest out thy foot against goads, seeing the fierce monarch governs according to his own will." Resistance is of no use: the more thou dost rebel, the more keenly thou shalt suffer. See the Scholiast here. Pindar has a similar expression, Pyth. ii. ver. 171-5: - Φερειν δ' ελαφρως Επαυχενιον λαβοντα Ζυγον γ' αρηγει. Ποτι κεντρον δε τοι Λακτιζεμεν, τελεθει Ολισθηρος οιμος. "It is profitable to bear willingly the assumed yoke. To kick against the goad is pernicious conduct." Where see the Scholiast, who shows that "it is ridiculous for a man to fight with fortune: for if the unruly ox, from whom the metaphor is taken, kick against the goad, he shall suffer still more grievously." Terence uses the same figure. Phorm. Act i. scen. 2, ver. 27: - Venere in mentem mihi istaec: nam inscitia est, Adversum stimulum calces. - " These things have come to my recollection, for it is foolishness for thee to kick against a goad." Ovid has the same idea in other words, Trist. lib. ii. ver. 15: - At nunc (tanta meo comes est insania morbo) Saxa malum refero rursus ad icta pedem. Scilicet et victus repetit gladiator arenam; Et redit in tumidas naufraga puppis aquas. But madly now I wound myself alone, Dashing my injured foot against the stone: So to the wide arena, wild with pain, The vanquish'd gladiator hastes again; So the poor shatter'd bark the tempest braves, Launching once more into the swelling waves. Intelligent men, in all countries and in all ages of the world, have seen and acknowledged the folly and wickedness of fighting against God; of murmuring at the dispensations of his providence; of being impatient under affliction; and of opposing the purposes of his justice and mercy. The words contain a universal lesson, and teach us patience under affliction, and subjection to the sovereign will of God; and they especially show the desperate wickedness of endeavoring, by persecution, to hinder the dissemination of the truth of God in the earth. He that kicks against this goad does it at the risk of his final salvation. The fable of the viper and the file is another illustration of this proverb: it gnawed and licked the file, till it destroyed its teeth and wasted away its tongue. The maxim in the proverb should be early inculcated on the minds of children and scholars; when chastised for their faults, resistance and stubbornness produce increased coercion and chastisement. And let parents and masters learn that the oft-repeated use of the goad and ferula seldom tend to reclaim, but beget obduracy and desperation. The advice of Columella to the ploughman, having some relation to the proverb in the text, and a strong bearing on this latter part of the subject, is worthy of the most serious regard: "Voce potius quam verberibus terreat: ultimaque sint opus recusantibus remedia plagae. Nunquam stimulo lacessat juvencum, quod retrectantem calcitrosumque eum reddit: nonnunquam tamen admoneat flagello." Columella, De Re Rustica, lib. ii. cap. 2, in fine. "Let the husbandman intimidate his oxen more by his voice than by blows, to which he should never have recourse but in extreme cases. A young steer should never be goaded, for this will induce him to kick and run back; but on proper occasions the whip, as an incentive to activity, may be profitably used." In reference to the same subject, which all concerned should feel to be of the greatest importance I shall close with the advice of one greater than the Roman agriculturist: Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged, Col 3:21; but bring them up (εν παιδειᾳ και νουθεσιᾳ Κυριου) in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, Eph 6:4, using the authority that God has given you with a steady hand, actuated by a tender and feeling heart.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Who art thou, Lord?--"Jesus knew Saul ere Saul knew Jesus" [BENGEL]. The term "Lord" here is an indefinite term of respect for some unknown but august speaker. That Saul saw as well as heard this glorious Speaker, is expressly said by Ananias (Act 9:17; Act 22:14), by Barnabas (Act 9:27), and by himself (Act 26:16); and in claiming apostleship, he explicitly states that he had "seen the Lord" (Co1 9:1; Co1 15:8), which can refer only to this scene. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest--The "I" and "thou" here are touchingly emphatic in the original; while the term "JESUS" is purposely chosen, to convey to him the thrilling information that the hated name which he sought to hunt down--"the Nazarene," as it is in Act 22:8 --was now speaking to him from the skies, "crowned with glory and honor" (see Act 26:9). It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks--The metaphor of an ox, only driving the goad deeper by kicking against it, is a classic one, and here forcibly expresses, not only the vanity of all his measures for crushing the Gospel, but the deeper wound which every such effort inflicted upon himself.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he said, who art thou, Lord?.... For he knew not whether it was God, or an angel, or who it was that spake to him; he knew not Christ by his form or voice, as Stephen did, when he saw him standing at the right hand of God; he was in a state of ignorance, and knew neither the person, nor voice of Christ, and yet his heart was so far softened and wrought upon, that he was desirous of knowing who he was; and the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. The Alexandrian copy, and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, "read Jesus of Nazareth"; and one of Beza's copies, and another of Stephens', as in Act 22:8 whose name thou art doing many things against, and whose people thou art destroying: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks; or "to resist me", as the Arabic version renders it; and which is the sense of the phrase; it is a proverbial expression, taken from beasts that are goaded, who kick against the goads or pricks, and hurt themselves the more thereby; and Christ uses it, suggesting hereby, that should Saul go on to persecute him and his people, to oppose his Gospel, and the strong evidence of it, in doctrine and miracles, and notwithstanding the present remonstrances made in such an extraordinary manner; he would find himself in the issue greatly hurt by it, and could not rationally expect to succeed against so powerful a person. This clause in the Syriac version is placed at the end of the fourth verse.
Acts 9:5
The Road to Damascus
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” 5“Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Learning to Be a Minister
By Leonard Ravenhill5.0K1:26:10ISA 40:29DAN 6:22MAT 6:33ACT 9:5PHP 3:7PHP 3:13In this sermon, the speaker shares a story about John Wesley and his commitment to spending time with God every morning at 4 o'clock. The speaker emphasizes the importance of dedicating time to God and suggests that two hours and twenty-four minutes is a suitable amount of time to give to God each day. He also mentions the value of personal experience with God, stating that those who have encountered God in their lives are not easily swayed by arguments or criticisms. The speaker encourages the audience to prioritize their relationship with God over scholarly pursuits and to seek wisdom from the book of Proverbs.
Attributes of God (Series 2): The Sovereignty of God
By A.W. Tozer4.8K50:31Attributes of GodDEU 4:39DEU 32:39LUK 24:18LUK 24:30ACT 9:5REV 4:3REV 14:4In this sermon, the preacher begins by recounting the story of Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection. The disciples were initially discouraged and disheartened, but when Jesus spoke to them and broke bread, they realized it was him. This miraculous event filled their hearts with joy and they recognized that God had triumphed over death. The preacher then uses the analogy of a ship to explain that while we have freedom in our lives, ultimately God determines our course from birth to death. He urges the congregation to be quick to obey God's commandments and asks for forgiveness for their slowness and unbelief. The sermon concludes with the preacher reading various passages from the Bible that emphasize God's sovereignty and power.
Almost a Christian
By John Rhys Watkins1.6K25:55False ConversionLUK 16:23ACT 9:5ACT 26:27ROM 13:122CO 5:17In this sermon, the preacher describes a man who is trapped in darkness and torment, symbolizing the state of humanity without Christ. The preacher emphasizes that salvation is available through Jesus, who came to set people free from sin and death. He urges the audience to fully embrace the gospel and not hold back, as they are being judged by God. The sermon is based on the biblical account of Paul's defense before King Agrippa, where Paul passionately shares the message of salvation and urges the king to turn from darkness to light.
The Conversion of Saul
By James A. Stewart1.6K42:40Conversion Of SaulACT 7:55ACT 9:5In this sermon, the preacher discusses the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, also known as the Apostle Paul. He emphasizes the excitement and joy of witnessing someone's transformation from death to life through faith in Jesus Christ. The preacher highlights the moment when the light of the gospel shines into Saul's darkened soul, revealing Jesus to him. He also mentions the emotions experienced by a newborn believer, such as trembling under conviction of sin and astonishment at God's love. The preacher concludes by expressing concern about the confusion surrounding the gospel message in today's world and the need to continually emphasize the fundamental truths of salvation.
First Step in Considering Missionary Service
By Tom Wilson1.4K1:02:05Missionary ServicePSA 119:11PRO 4:23PRO 16:9MAT 6:33ACT 9:52CO 8:5JAS 4:13In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing that God is the one who leads and directs our plans. He discusses the call of God and how it may not always be a dramatic, audible experience, but rather a guiding and leading from the Lord. The speaker also highlights the significance of personal inventory evaluation and practical advice for potential missionaries. The sermon concludes with the mention of a book on global strategy and the importance of learning languages for effective missionary work.
Horton Haven Labor Day Retreat-13 a Squirming Sacrifice
By William MacDonald1.2K34:10SacrificeEXO 3:11EXO 4:10JER 1:6LUK 19:14JHN 9:22ACT 9:5ROM 10:9In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a radio program for young people that was supported by listener donations. One night, a lady called from the downtown railroad station and expressed her desire to visit the program. Despite the late hour and lack of transportation, she insisted on coming and eventually arrived at the preacher's house. She expressed her gratitude for the radio program and gave a generous donation. The preacher uses this story as a parable to illustrate how God patiently waits at our door, wanting to bless us.
The Witness of Stephen
By Les Wheeldon1.2K1:11:08StephenACT 7:51ACT 8:5ACT 8:30ACT 9:5GAL 5:16In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of giving away one's possessions and living a life free from sin. He tells the story of a man who was told by Jesus to give away his wealth but chose not to, and as a result, he never enjoyed his money again. The preacher highlights the idea that once the word of Jesus comes to a person, they are considered dead and must seek resurrection life. He also shares the story of a man who exemplified forgiveness and love by not confronting his neighbor when they encroached on his property, ultimately leading to the neighbor's repentance. The sermon concludes with a discussion of the apostle Paul's conversion and the transformative power of encountering Jesus.
Dallas Area Conference 1993-08
By William MacDonald1.1K35:47ConferenceEXO 3:11EXO 4:10PSA 69:7JER 1:6LUK 9:62LUK 19:14ACT 9:5In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the awe-inspiring nature of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels. Despite the quiet and understated manner in which the story of the Savior is told, the glory of Jesus is enough to amaze us. The speaker emphasizes the importance of obeying the voice of the Lord, even though it may not always be the most logical or comfortable choice. The sermon also highlights the reluctance and hesitation that often accompanies God's call, using examples from the lives of Moses and Jeremiah.
Tophet - the Beating of Drums - Part 3 by Robert Wurtz
By Robert Wurtz II88728:17GEN 6:3ISA 14:12ACT 7:51ACT 9:5ROM 2:4This sermon delves into the consequences for those who resist God's attempts at drawing them to repentance, using biblical references from Genesis, Acts, Romans, and Isaiah. It explores the pride and downfall of Lucifer, emphasizing the danger of resisting God's call to repentance and the ultimate destiny of those who persist in rebellion. The sermon challenges listeners to reflect on the distractions in their lives that prevent them from acknowledging their need for Christ and the urgency of making a decision before it's too late.
The Ways of Sin Hard; of Holiness, Pleasant
By Charles Finney0True ReligionSin vs. HolinessPRO 13:15ISA 57:20ACT 9:5Charles Finney emphasizes the stark contrast between the hard ways of sin and the pleasant paths of holiness, illustrating that true religion is a heartfelt devotion to God that brings peace and joy. He explains that sin leads to constant turmoil and dissatisfaction, while a life devoted to God is naturally easy and fulfilling. Finney argues that true religion requires repentance, confidence in God, and a commitment to love others, which ultimately leads to a harmonious existence. He warns that a life of selfishness is a path of self-destruction, while embracing God's ways results in true happiness and fulfillment. The sermon calls for individuals to recognize the futility of sin and the joy found in a relationship with God.
Do You Love Me? - 2
By Anton Bosch0ISA 6:1MAT 25:40MRK 14:29LUK 7:47JHN 21:15ACT 9:5Anton Bosch preaches on Jesus' interaction with Peter after his denial, emphasizing Peter's journey from overconfidence to humility and the importance of genuine love for Jesus in ministry. Jesus' repeated question to Peter challenges him to acknowledge his human weakness and rely on God's strength. Peter's shift from claiming divine love to admitting brotherly love signifies a deep spiritual transformation in his heart. The sermon urges listeners to prioritize their love for Jesus above all else, emphasizing that ministry should flow from a sincere love for the Lord.
The Kingdom Now
By Anton Bosch0MAT 1:21MAT 21:9LUK 19:10JHN 6:14JHN 18:36ACT 1:8ACT 9:5ROM 8:29ROM 11:36Anton Bosch discusses the people's desire for material provision and political reform during Jesus' time, highlighting the danger of appealing to people's felt needs and imposing our agenda on God. He emphasizes that God's timing and intentions are sovereign, and any attempt to rush His plan is rebellion. Jesus' Kingdom is not physical but spiritual, and salvation is from sins, not political or material. Bosch urges the church to align with God's purposes and stop trying to manipulate God for selfish gain.
(I) the Gospel of God's Great Love - Part 7 (Kicking Against the Pricks)
By Robert Wurtz II0GEN 6:3JDG 3:31ACT 9:5HEB 12:52PE 3:9Robert Wurtz II delves into the insightful pictures the Bible uses to express how God strives with man, likening it to a farmer plowing a field with oxen and using ox goads to direct them. Just as the plowman uses the goad to guide the ox in the right direction, God uses various measures, including physical pain, to lead man to repentance out of His love for them. The story of Saul of Tarsus, who was urged to stop kicking against the goads by Jesus, serves as a powerful illustration of rebelling against God's Holy Spirit and the consequences of resisting God's guidance.
Convicted Sinners Can Reject Christ
By John R. Rice0ACT 9:5John R. Rice preaches against the doctrine of 'irresistible grace' in extreme Calvinism, arguing that the Scriptures and human experience show that men do resist the grace of God and the moving of the Holy Spirit. He uses the example of Deacon Stephen confronting the Jewish leaders who resisted the Holy Spirit, and Saul of Tarsus who later became Paul, as evidence of resistance to God's call. Rice emphasizes that every lost sinner could be saved, as the atonement of Christ paid for all sins, but some choose to reject God's offer of mercy and resist the Holy Spirit's conviction.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Who art thou, Lord? - Τις ει, Κυριε; Who art thou, Sir? He had no knowledge who it was that addressed him, and would only use the term Κυριε, as any Roman or Greek would, merely as a term of civil respect. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest - "Thy enmity is against me and my religion; and the injuries which thou dost to my followers I consider as done to myself." The following words, making twenty in the original, and thirty in our version, are found in no Greek MS. The words are, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks: and he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said unto him. It is not very easy to account for such a large addition, which is not only not found in any Greek MS. yet discovered, but is wanting in the Itala, Erpen's Arabic, the Syriac, Coptic, Sahidic, and most of the Slavonian. It is found in the Vulgate, one of the Arabic, the Ethiopic, and Armenian; and was probably borrowed from Act 26:14, and some marginal notes. It is wanting also in the Complutensian edition, and in that of Bengel. Griesbach also leaves it out of the text. It is hard for thee, etc. - Σκληρον σοι προς κεντρα λακτιζειν. This is a proverbial expression, which exists, not only in substance, but even in so many words, both in the Greek and Latin writers. Κεντρον, kentron, signifies an ox goad, a piece of pointed iron stuck in the end of a stick, with which the ox is urged on when drawing the plough. The origin of the proverb seems to have been this: sometimes it happens that a restive or stubborn ox kicks back against the goad, and thus wounds himself more deeply: hence it has become a proverb to signify the fruitlessness and absurdity of rebelling against lawful authority, and the getting into greater difficulties by endeavoring to avoid trifling sufferings. So the proverb, Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim. Out of the cauldron into the fire. "Out of bad into worse." The saying exists, almost in the apostolic form, in the following writers. Euripides, in Bacch. ver. 793: - Θυοιμ' αν αυτῳ μαλλον, η θυμουμενος Προς κεντρα λακτιζοιμι, θνητος ων, Θεῳ. "I, who am a frail mortal, should rather sacrifice to him who is a God, than, by giving place to anger, kick against the goads." And Aeschylus, in Agamemnon, ver. 1633: - Προς κεντρα μη λακτιζε. Kick not against the goads. And again in Prometh. Vinct. ver. 323: - Προς κεντρα κωλον εκτενεις, ὁρων ὁτι Τραχυς μοναρχος ουδ' ὑπευθυνος κρατει. "Thou stretchest out thy foot against goads, seeing the fierce monarch governs according to his own will." Resistance is of no use: the more thou dost rebel, the more keenly thou shalt suffer. See the Scholiast here. Pindar has a similar expression, Pyth. ii. ver. 171-5: - Φερειν δ' ελαφρως Επαυχενιον λαβοντα Ζυγον γ' αρηγει. Ποτι κεντρον δε τοι Λακτιζεμεν, τελεθει Ολισθηρος οιμος. "It is profitable to bear willingly the assumed yoke. To kick against the goad is pernicious conduct." Where see the Scholiast, who shows that "it is ridiculous for a man to fight with fortune: for if the unruly ox, from whom the metaphor is taken, kick against the goad, he shall suffer still more grievously." Terence uses the same figure. Phorm. Act i. scen. 2, ver. 27: - Venere in mentem mihi istaec: nam inscitia est, Adversum stimulum calces. - " These things have come to my recollection, for it is foolishness for thee to kick against a goad." Ovid has the same idea in other words, Trist. lib. ii. ver. 15: - At nunc (tanta meo comes est insania morbo) Saxa malum refero rursus ad icta pedem. Scilicet et victus repetit gladiator arenam; Et redit in tumidas naufraga puppis aquas. But madly now I wound myself alone, Dashing my injured foot against the stone: So to the wide arena, wild with pain, The vanquish'd gladiator hastes again; So the poor shatter'd bark the tempest braves, Launching once more into the swelling waves. Intelligent men, in all countries and in all ages of the world, have seen and acknowledged the folly and wickedness of fighting against God; of murmuring at the dispensations of his providence; of being impatient under affliction; and of opposing the purposes of his justice and mercy. The words contain a universal lesson, and teach us patience under affliction, and subjection to the sovereign will of God; and they especially show the desperate wickedness of endeavoring, by persecution, to hinder the dissemination of the truth of God in the earth. He that kicks against this goad does it at the risk of his final salvation. The fable of the viper and the file is another illustration of this proverb: it gnawed and licked the file, till it destroyed its teeth and wasted away its tongue. The maxim in the proverb should be early inculcated on the minds of children and scholars; when chastised for their faults, resistance and stubbornness produce increased coercion and chastisement. And let parents and masters learn that the oft-repeated use of the goad and ferula seldom tend to reclaim, but beget obduracy and desperation. The advice of Columella to the ploughman, having some relation to the proverb in the text, and a strong bearing on this latter part of the subject, is worthy of the most serious regard: "Voce potius quam verberibus terreat: ultimaque sint opus recusantibus remedia plagae. Nunquam stimulo lacessat juvencum, quod retrectantem calcitrosumque eum reddit: nonnunquam tamen admoneat flagello." Columella, De Re Rustica, lib. ii. cap. 2, in fine. "Let the husbandman intimidate his oxen more by his voice than by blows, to which he should never have recourse but in extreme cases. A young steer should never be goaded, for this will induce him to kick and run back; but on proper occasions the whip, as an incentive to activity, may be profitably used." In reference to the same subject, which all concerned should feel to be of the greatest importance I shall close with the advice of one greater than the Roman agriculturist: Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged, Col 3:21; but bring them up (εν παιδειᾳ και νουθεσιᾳ Κυριου) in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, Eph 6:4, using the authority that God has given you with a steady hand, actuated by a tender and feeling heart.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Who art thou, Lord?--"Jesus knew Saul ere Saul knew Jesus" [BENGEL]. The term "Lord" here is an indefinite term of respect for some unknown but august speaker. That Saul saw as well as heard this glorious Speaker, is expressly said by Ananias (Act 9:17; Act 22:14), by Barnabas (Act 9:27), and by himself (Act 26:16); and in claiming apostleship, he explicitly states that he had "seen the Lord" (Co1 9:1; Co1 15:8), which can refer only to this scene. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest--The "I" and "thou" here are touchingly emphatic in the original; while the term "JESUS" is purposely chosen, to convey to him the thrilling information that the hated name which he sought to hunt down--"the Nazarene," as it is in Act 22:8 --was now speaking to him from the skies, "crowned with glory and honor" (see Act 26:9). It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks--The metaphor of an ox, only driving the goad deeper by kicking against it, is a classic one, and here forcibly expresses, not only the vanity of all his measures for crushing the Gospel, but the deeper wound which every such effort inflicted upon himself.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he said, who art thou, Lord?.... For he knew not whether it was God, or an angel, or who it was that spake to him; he knew not Christ by his form or voice, as Stephen did, when he saw him standing at the right hand of God; he was in a state of ignorance, and knew neither the person, nor voice of Christ, and yet his heart was so far softened and wrought upon, that he was desirous of knowing who he was; and the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. The Alexandrian copy, and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, "read Jesus of Nazareth"; and one of Beza's copies, and another of Stephens', as in Act 22:8 whose name thou art doing many things against, and whose people thou art destroying: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks; or "to resist me", as the Arabic version renders it; and which is the sense of the phrase; it is a proverbial expression, taken from beasts that are goaded, who kick against the goads or pricks, and hurt themselves the more thereby; and Christ uses it, suggesting hereby, that should Saul go on to persecute him and his people, to oppose his Gospel, and the strong evidence of it, in doctrine and miracles, and notwithstanding the present remonstrances made in such an extraordinary manner; he would find himself in the issue greatly hurt by it, and could not rationally expect to succeed against so powerful a person. This clause in the Syriac version is placed at the end of the fourth verse.