SEV Biblia, Chapter 26:14
Y habiendo caído todos nosotros en tierra, oí una voz que me hablaba, y decía en lengua hebraica: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qu me persigues? Dura cosa te es dar coces contra los aguijones.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. And when we were all fallen to the earth , etc.] Saul, and the men that were with him, for fear of the divine Majesty, who by this extraordinary light was thought to be present: the other narratives only relate Sauls falling to the earth; how this is to be reconciled to their standing speechless, in ( Acts 9:7), (see Gill on Acts 9:7). I heard a voice speaking unto me , etc. (see Gill on Acts 10:4). (see Gill on Acts 10:5).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-23 - Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Chris both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was mad a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong to their everlasting peace, wh are yet ignorant of them. A world that lies in wickedness must be sanctified and reformed; it is not enough for them to have their eye opened, they must have their hearts renewed; not enough to be turne from darkness to light, but they must be turned from the power of Sata unto God. All who are turned from sin to God, are not only pardoned but have a grant of a rich inheritance. The forgiveness of sins make way for this. None can be happy who are not holy; and to be saints in heaven we must be first saints on earth. We are made holy, and saved by faith in Christ; by which we rely upon Christ as the Lord ou Righteousness, and give up ourselves to him as the Lord our Ruler; by this we receive the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, an eternal life. The cross of Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews and they were in a rage at Paul's preaching the fulfilling of the Ol Testament predictions. Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead; the Head or principal One. Also, it was foretold by the prophets, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God by the Messiah; and what in this could the Jews justly be displease at? Thus the true convert can give a reason of his hope, and a goo account of the change manifest in him. Yet for going about and callin on men thus to repent and to be converted, vast numbers have bee blamed and persecuted.
Greek Textus Receptus
παντων 3956 A-GPM δε 1161 CONJ καταπεσοντων 2667 5631 V-2AAP-GPM ημων 2257 P-1GP εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF γην 1093 N-ASF ηκουσα 191 5656 V-AAI-1S φωνην 5456 N-ASF λαλουσαν 2980 5723 V-PAP-ASF προς 4314 PREP με 3165 P-1AS και 2532 CONJ λεγουσαν 3004 5723 V-PAP-ASF τη 3588 T-DSF εβραιδι 1446 N-DSF διαλεκτω 1258 N-DSF σαουλ 4549 N-PRI σαουλ 4549 N-PRI τι 5101 I-ASN με 3165 P-1AS διωκεις 1377 5719 V-PAI-2S σκληρον 4642 A-NSN σοι 4671 P-2DS προς 4314 PREP κεντρα 2759 N-APN λακτιζειν 2979 5721 V-PAN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Or, goads. The sharp goad carried in the ploughman's hand, against which the oxen kick on being pricked. The metaphor, though not found in Jewish writings, was common in Greek and Roman writings. Thus, Euripides ("Bacchae," 791): "Being enraged, I would kick against the goads, a mortal against a God." Plautus ("Truculentus, 4, 2, 55): "If you strike the goads with your fists, you hurt your hands more than the goads." "Who knows whether at that moment the operation of ploughing might not be going on within sight of the road along which the persecutor was traveling? (Howson, "Metaphors of St. Paul").
Robertson's NT Word Studies
26:14 {When we were all fallen} (pantwn katapesontwn hemwn). Genitive absolute with second aorist active participle of katapiptw. In the Hebrew language (tei ebraidi dialektwi). Natural addition here, for Paul is speaking in Greek, not Aramaic as in #22:2. {It is hard for thee to kick against the goad} (skleron soi pros kentra laktizein). Genuine here, but not in chapters #9,22. A common proverb as Aeschylus _Ag_. 1624: pros kentra me laktize. "It is taken from an ox that being pricked with a goad kicks and receives a severer wound" (Page). Cf. the parables of Jesus (#Mt 13:35). Blass observes that Paul's mention of this Greek and Latin proverb is an indication of his culture. Besides he mentions (not invents) it here rather than in chapter #22 because of the culture of this audience. kentron means either sting as of bees (II Macc. 14:19) and so of death (#1Co 15:55) or an iron goad in the ploughman's hand as here (the only two N.T. examples). Note plural here (goads) and laktizein is present active infinitive so that the idea is "to keep on kicking against goads." this old verb means to kick with the heel (adverb lax, with the heel), but only here in the N.T. There is a papyrus example of kicking (laktizw) with the feet against the door.
