Tag Archives: Acts 9:17

Introduction: The One Who Appeared

Ananias says to Saul: ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με, ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου — “the Lord has sent me, the one who appeared to you on the road where you were going.”

This relative clause identifies who sent Ananias. The clause is deeply theological—it ties Ananias’s mission directly to the risen Christ, who appeared to Saul on the Damascus road. The key verb is a divine passive (ὀφθείς) and the clause includes a locative relative construction (ᾗ ἤρχου).

Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με, ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς, καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος ἁγίου.… Learn Koine Greek

Introduction: Healing and Filling on the Damascus Road

In Acts 9:17, Ananias speaks to Saul (later Paul) with words full of meaning and divine intention: ὁ κύριος… ἀπέσταλκέ με… ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς, καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος ἁγίου.

This clause, introduced by ὅπως, contains two aorist subjunctives—ἀναβλέψῃς and πλησθῇς—joined by καί. The result is a dual-purpose expression: restoration of sight and reception of the Holy Spirit. The grammar reveals that both outcomes are tied together, both miraculous and missional.

Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με, ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς, καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος ἁγίου.

Let us focus on the final purpose clause of Acts 9:17:

ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς, καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος ἁγίου — “so that you may regain sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”… Learn Koine Greek

Introduction: Sent by the Risen Lord

When Ananias speaks to Saul, he declares: ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με — “the Lord has sent me.”

This short clause is rich with apostolic significance. The use of the perfect tense in ἀπέσταλκε emphasizes not just the moment of sending, but its ongoing consequence. In biblical Greek, this tense often marks a completed action whose results are still active, making this statement a grammatically encoded assertion of divine authority.

ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με, ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου…

Let us now examine the verb:

ἀπέσταλκέ με — “he has sent me”

This is a perfect active indicative verb from ἀποστέλλω (to send), combined with the accusative pronoun με (“me”).… Learn Koine Greek