SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:13
Entonces Ananías respondi: Seor, he oído a muchos acerca de este hombre, cuntos males ha hecho a tus santos en Jerusaln;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 9:13
Verse 13. Lord, I have heard by many of this man] This was all done in a dream, else this sort of reasoning with his Maker would have been intolerable in Ananias. Saul had been a notorious persecutor; many could testify of his outrageous acts against the poor followers of Christ. Thy saints] That is, the Christians, or followers of Christ. agioi signifies not only holy persons, but also consecrated persons; from a, negative, and gh, the earth; persons who are separated from all earthly uses, and consecrated to the service of God alone.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. Then Ananias answered, Lord , etc.] Though Ananias knew that it was the Lord that spoke, and acknowledged his power and dominion, and expressed his readiness to obey his commands; yet there was a timidity in him, and which was the more inexcusable, that it should appear after the Lord had told him of the vision which Saul had had of him; and yet still he was fearful of putting himself into his hands, who had been so violent a persecutor; and therefore obliquely excuses himself, by observing what Saul had done at Jerusalem, and the powers he came with to Damascus: I have heard by many of this man ; which shows that Ananias had been at Damascus some time, and was not an eyewitness of the havoc Saul made of the church, only had the account of it from others; and these many who fled to Damascus upon the persecution, which Saul was at the head of; and being so, was particularly spoken of, and his name was well known, and was become infamous for his cruelty and barbarity; how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem ; by entering into their houses with violence, haling men and women from thence, committing them to prison, and persecuting them unto death. Believers in Christ are called his saints, because separated by his grace for his service, and sanctified by his Spirit, and to whom he is made sanctification; and because they live holy lives and conversations; all which is an aggravation of the evil done them, and which will be avenged by Christ in his own time.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-22 - A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's fee with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never di Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessing of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Ye even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the command of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scant expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we ar apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavour to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his forme companions.
Greek Textus Receptus
απεκριθη 611 5662 V-ADI-3S δε 1161 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM ανανιας 367 N-NSM κυριε 2962 N-VSM ακηκοα 191 5754 V-2RAI-1S απο 575 PREP πολλων 4183 A-GPM περι 4012 PREP του 3588 T-GSM ανδρος 435 N-GSM τουτου 5127 D-GSM οσα 3745 K-APN κακα 2556 A-APN εποιησεν 4160 5656 V-AAI-3S τοις 3588 T-DPM αγιοις 40 A-DPM σου 4675 P-2GS εν 1722 PREP ιερουσαλημ 2419 N-PRI
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:13 {How much evil} (hosa kaka). How many evil things. Saul's reputation (#26:10) as a persecutor had preceded him. {To thy saints} (tois hagiois). Dative of disadvantage. "Used here for the first time as a name for the Christians" (Knowling), but it came to be the common and normal (Hackett) term for followers of Christ (#9:32,41; 26:10; 1Co 1:2, etc.). this common word is from to hagos, religious awe or reverence and is applied to God's name (#Lu 1:49), God's temple (#Mt 24:15), God's people as set apart for God (#Lu 1:70; 2:23; Ro 1:7, etc.). Ananias in his ignorance saw in Saul only the man with an evil reputation while Jesus saw in Saul the man transformed by grace to be a messenger of mercy.
