Bible Strands
Acts 9:26
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Saul arrives in Jerusalem following his escape from Damascus and attempts to integrate with the local Christian community, facing immediate suspicion from the believers there.
The words — ἐπείραζεν (epeirazen) = he was trying; κολλᾶσθαι (kollasthai) = to join or attach closely.
The thread — The need for verified testimony appears when Barnabas later intervenes to present Saul to the apostles (Acts 9:27), while Paul later clarifies his post-conversion route bypassed Jerusalem leadership (Galatians 1:17) before he preached across Judea (Acts 26:20).
Why it lands — It requires readers to recognize that broken community ties cannot be repaired by claimed transformation alone, but only through credible witness and patient verification.
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
And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
Cross-references
- Acts 26:20 First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.
- Galatians 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
- Acts 4:23 On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
- Acts 9:19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
- Acts 22:17 Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
- Matthew 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- Galatians 2:4 This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
- Matthew 24:10 At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,