Acts 22:9
 
Acts 22:9
(KJV) 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.
(1611 KJV) And they that were with me saw indeede the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
(1587 Geneva Bible) Moreouer they that were with me, sawe in deede a light and were afraide: but they heard not the voyce of him that spake vnto me.
(1526 Tyndale) And they that were with me sawe verely a lyght and were a frayde: but they hearde not the voyce of him that spake with me.
 
Counterfeit Versions
(1881 RV) And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me
(1901 ASV) Those who were with me did not understand the voice, but they saw the light.
(CSB) Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
(NIV) My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
(NASV) And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
(THE MESSAGE) "He said, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you're hunting down.
(AMP) Now the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear [the sound of the uttered words of] the voice of the One Who was speaking to me [so that they could understand it].
(NLT) The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.
(ESV) Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
(CEV) The men who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice.
(NCV) Those who were with me did not understand the voice, but they saw the light.
(HCSB) Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me.
(NIRV) "The light was seen by my companions. But they didn't understand the voice of the one speaking to me.
(RSV) Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
(NAB-Roman Catholic) My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Now the men that were with me beheld, indeed, the light but did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me.
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
οι δε συν εμοι οντες το μεν φως εθεασαντο και εμφοβοι εγενοντο την δε φωνην ουκ ηκουσαν του λαλουντος μοι
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
οι δε συν εμοι οντες το μεν φως εθεασαντο την δε φωνην ουκ ηκουσαν του λαλουντος μοι
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
P 74 - Seventh Century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
E 08 - Sixth century
L 020 - Ninth century
P 025 - Ninth century
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit “and were afraid” after “saw indeed the light”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871 (in the margin or brackets)
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
 
Affected Teaching
When the Apostle Paul was on the road to Damascus to cause more trouble for the church, he was met by the Lord Jesus Christ who told him that he is persecuting Him through His children. When the Lord Jesus spoke with Paul, those who were with him had seen the light from Heaven and the Scripture stated that “they were afraid.” in fact the word in Greek for “afraid” carries with it the idea of being frightened or terrified. So these men were not just afraid, they were in raw terror but the modern versions remove this part which is basically removing a phrase which deals with fearing the Lord because those who are unbelievers when they go to the Great White Throne Judgment will also be in terror. This phrase gives good insight into the terror which awaits the unbeliever while the believer will feel at home in the presence of the Lord. The unbelievers with Paul were terrified but Paul spoke with the Lord and did not suffer the terror the others did. Acts 9 states that he trembled and was astonished at the light and the voice which spoke to him but the Scripture does not state he was in terror.
 
If you will notice some of the versions exchange “of him” for “the one.” This is an erroneous translation. The word in the Greek underlying “spake” is in the masculine gender which would necessitate the translation “of him” as being proper. “The one” is neutered which would be an erroneous translation.

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