Why do Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9 contradict each other?
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In the Bible, Acts 22:9 says, "And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me
Acts 9:7 says, "And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one it seems that in one they saw no one but heard the other they saw but did not hear I don't think it has to do with understanding
Acts 9:7 says, "And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one it seems that in one they saw no one but heard the other they saw but did not hear I don't think it has to do with understanding
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Acts 9:7
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
Acts 22:9NIV
Footnote
tn Grk “did not hear” (but see Acts 9:7). BDAG 38 s.v. ἀκούω 7 has “W. acc. τὸν νόμον understand the law Gal 4:21; perh. Ac 22:9; 26:14…belong here.” If the word has this sense here, then a metonymy is present, since the lack of effect is put for a failure to appreciate what was heard.
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
Acts 22:9NIV
Footnote
tn Grk “did not hear” (but see Acts 9:7). BDAG 38 s.v. ἀκούω 7 has “W. acc. τὸν νόμον understand the law Gal 4:21; perh. Ac 22:9; 26:14…belong here.” If the word has this sense here, then a metonymy is present, since the lack of effect is put for a failure to appreciate what was heard.
The Greek words for sound (phOnE) and for "to hear" have quite wide semantic ranges. Which is the meaning of each must be determined from context.
PhOnE:
akouO:
Perhaps the intruder speaking has a thick Scottish accent, so that others in the dormitory cannot understand what he is saying, but you do. They recognised that something was being said, a language was being spoken, but they could not comprehend the language they were hearing. Hence, "hearing a voice"... "they heard/comprehended not the voice of him that spake to me." i.e. attending to what was said, they did not comprehend the speech of the one speaking to Paul."
There is no real contradiction there.
PhOnE:
- a sound, a tone
- of inanimate things, as musical instruments
- a voice
- of the sound of uttered words
- speech
- of a language, tongue
akouO:
- to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf
- to hear
- to attend to, consider what is or has been said
- to understand, perceive the sense of what is said
- to hear something
- to perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence
- to get by hearing, learn
- a thing comes to one's ears, to find out, learn
- to give ear to a teaching or a teacher
- to comprehend, to understand
Perhaps the intruder speaking has a thick Scottish accent, so that others in the dormitory cannot understand what he is saying, but you do. They recognised that something was being said, a language was being spoken, but they could not comprehend the language they were hearing. Hence, "hearing a voice"... "they heard/comprehended not the voice of him that spake to me." i.e. attending to what was said, they did not comprehend the speech of the one speaking to Paul."
There is no real contradiction there.
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Was This a Bible Contradiction? No!
(Acts 9:7) And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.
(Acts 22:9) "And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
These men heard something, but could the reason be that Paul said in Acts 22:9, that they did not hear, was because they did not understand what they heard? They were not able to distinguish it as a voice?
(Mk 4:12) so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And [their] sins be forgiven them.'
Although this verse is different, it shows hearing can have more than one meaning. So, not hearing can also mean not understanding, and I believe these men heard something, but they were not able or allowed to understand it was the voice of Jesus like Paul did. So they did not hear or understand what Jesus said to Paul, even though they did hear a voice or a noise.
Also, those men with Paul obviously saw the light, and knew this wasn’t normal, because they were afraid because of it, but they were not blinded as Paul was.
So it appears the focus for Jesus was strictly on Paul, because He was the only one blinded by the light, and he was the only one who was able to hear and understood the voice of Jesus.
There is a Molotov cocktail mix from flesh first birth as is dead, not yet born again by God through them and so there are inconsistencies in scripture to the first born flesh trying to be good enough, when no other flesh after Son's flesh pleased Father first, it is done in Son for us to believe, receive and be new in love and mercy to all. (Romans 8:1-3)
Saul saw, believed, became Paul and continued in belief given him to go to the Gentiles to tell them believe, receive and be new in this love and mercy given them by God's love in Son as risen for them.
As we, I at least see written in Galatians. Today, we are a people mixed in Law and grace and to me, I see have become Hybrids. Does, mixing water and oil naturally mix?
So, religion stepped in and mixed the oil and water in a glass, sealed the top to not let anything out. took, takes that glass and shakes it up and we see it as if is mixed and get all excited and then give and do until the glass shaken up is not being shook up anymore
Once the glass is at rest long enough the oil (God) and Water (flesh) separate again.
Do we see this Emotion of us naturally get excited, this is how people get led by their emotions, the hoop law of emotions in us getting excited and then think we are something, and end up being people better than others and others better than us. When truth is, we are nothing to me at least, thank you
Father for your saving grace given us in the risen Son for us to appreciate and not make anything more out of it, than what is, thank you
Paul talked about this puffing up of others to others in Corinthians
Authorized (King James) Version
2 Cor 10
10 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2 but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without ourmeasure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Saul saw, believed, became Paul and continued in belief given him to go to the Gentiles to tell them believe, receive and be new in this love and mercy given them by God's love in Son as risen for them.
As we, I at least see written in Galatians. Today, we are a people mixed in Law and grace and to me, I see have become Hybrids. Does, mixing water and oil naturally mix?
So, religion stepped in and mixed the oil and water in a glass, sealed the top to not let anything out. took, takes that glass and shakes it up and we see it as if is mixed and get all excited and then give and do until the glass shaken up is not being shook up anymore
Once the glass is at rest long enough the oil (God) and Water (flesh) separate again.
Do we see this Emotion of us naturally get excited, this is how people get led by their emotions, the hoop law of emotions in us getting excited and then think we are something, and end up being people better than others and others better than us. When truth is, we are nothing to me at least, thank you
Father for your saving grace given us in the risen Son for us to appreciate and not make anything more out of it, than what is, thank you
Paul talked about this puffing up of others to others in Corinthians
Authorized (King James) Version
2 Cor 10
10 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2 but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without ourmeasure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.