Acts 9:5
King James Version (KJV)
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Translations
Acts 9:5 - Amplified Bible
And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. {It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].}
Acts 9:5 - American Standard Version
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:
Acts 9:5 - Bible in Basic English
And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are attacking:
Acts 9:5 - Darby Bible
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he [said], *I* am Jesus, whom *thou* persecutest.
Acts 9:5 - English Standard Version
And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Acts 9:5 - King James Version
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Acts 9:5 - La Biblia de las Americas
Y él dijo: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y El respondiò: Yo soy Jesùs a quien tù persigues;
Acts 9:5 - The Message
He said, "Who are you, Master?" "I am Jesus, the One you’re hunting down. I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you’ll be told what to do next."
Acts 9:5 - New American Standard Bible
And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He {said,} "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
Acts 9:5 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy
"¿Quién eres, Señor?" preguntò Saulo. El Señor respondiò: "Yo soy Jesùs a quien tù persigues;
Acts 9:5 - World English Bible
He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Acts 9:5 - Young's Living Translation
And he said, `Who art thou, Lord?` and the Lord said, `I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute; hard for thee at the pricks to kick;`
Acts 9:5 - Additional Comments
"Kick against the goads" - an ox goad is a sharp piece of iron at end of 8 ft stick; it's used to urge oxen on. This expression was used as an action of a stubborn unyielding ox kicking against the goad. Ox would gain nothing from the struggle & would injure no one but itself. Jesus said Paul's struggle against Him was accomplishing nothing and only injuring himself. Paul probably understood exactly what Jesus was saying about Paul. Paul must have wondered how he was doing that.
When Paul would try to suppress the church, it only served to make it stronger - like squishing a pregnant spider, or stepping on an ant mound, or getting rid of a puddle by jumping on it.
Are you kicking against the goad? What are you struggling with that only hurts you, and doesn't really have an impact on others? Do you have any internal struggles with God? What have you been fighting? When can you release it, give it to God, and honor Him?
Two important life questions we should be asking God: (v. 5-6)
1. Who are you?
2. What do you want me to do? (Paul's reaction upon encountering Jesus - what is yours?)
Jesus appeared to Paul, not just to convert him, but for two other reasons:
1. Appoint him to ministry - Acts 26:16 (note that there were other things Jesus said at this time that are only revealed later)
* Revelations to Paul: 18:9, 22:18, 23:11, 2 Cor 12:1-7
* Mission - to bring the gospel to Jews & Gentiles - Acts 26:17-18
2. To qualify him as an apostle. Acts. 1:22 qualification of an apostle had been to be "a witness with us of His resurrection."
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