{"id":52082,"date":"2019-09-02T14:02:07","date_gmt":"2019-09-02T11:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=52082"},"modified":"2025-07-03T23:57:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T20:57:05","slug":"why-do-the-scriptures-seem-to-contradict-themselves-about-pauls-encounter-with-jesus-on-the-road-to-damascus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2019\/09\/02\/why-do-the-scriptures-seem-to-contradict-themselves-about-pauls-encounter-with-jesus-on-the-road-to-damascus\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do the Scriptures Seem to Contradict Themselves About Paul\u2019s Encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus?"},"content":{"rendered":"

QUESTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shalom servant of God, please help me understand something. In the book of Acts, three different passages\u2014Acts 9:3\u20137<\/strong>, Acts 22:6\u20139<\/strong>, and Acts 26:12\u201314<\/strong>\u2014describe Paul\u2019s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. But when I read them, they seem to say different things, especially about whether the people with Paul heard the voice or not. How can that be?<\/p>\n

\n

ANSWER:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is an excellent question and one that many Bible readers have struggled with. At first glance, the accounts seem contradictory\u2014but once we look deeper, we find they are not conflicting but complementary.<\/p>\n

1. The Apparent Contradiction<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The main confusion comes from these two verses:<\/p>\n

Acts 9:7\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Acts 22:9\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, one says they heard the voice<\/strong>, and the other says they did not<\/strong>. Which one is true?<\/p>\n

2. The Key: Hearing vs. Understanding<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The resolution lies in understanding how Scripture uses the word “hear.”<\/strong> In Greek, the word akou\u014d<\/em> (\u1f00\u03ba\u03bf\u03cd\u03c9) can mean to hear a sound<\/strong> or to understand what is being said<\/strong>, depending on the context.<\/p>\n