Bible Strands
Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul recounts a heavenly vision to King Agrippa, relaying God’s commission to rescue him from hostile groups and send him to the Gentiles.
The words — ἐπιστρέψαι (epistrepsai) means to turn or convert, describing the necessary shift from spiritual blindness to divine authority.
The thread — The motif of turning from darkness to light appears in 1 Peter 2:9, while the promise of an inheritance among the sanctified connects to Acts 20:32 and the enlightenment of the heart in Ephesians 1:18.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to recognize that spiritual sight and deliverance originate from God alone, demanding a decisive turn toward Him rather than reliance on human authority or inherited status.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Cross-references
- 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Ephesians 1:18 I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
- Acts 20:32 And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.
- Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- Isaiah 42:7 to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Colossians 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
- John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Luke 1:79 to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
- Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.