“And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.”
My Notes
What Does Acts 22:14 Mean?
Ananias is telling Paul what God has planned for him — and the scope is breathtaking. Three things: know God's will, see the Just One (Jesus), and hear the voice of His mouth. This is a commissioning that covers understanding, encounter, and communication.
"The God of our fathers" anchors this calling in Jewish continuity — this isn't a new God doing a new thing. This is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob choosing a new vessel. Paul's mission to the Gentiles doesn't break from Israel's story; it extends it.
"That Just One" is a messianic title — the Righteous One. Paul didn't just learn about Jesus from others. He saw Him on the Damascus road. He heard His voice. His authority to speak about Jesus came from direct encounter, not secondhand information. And that encounter was part of God's plan for him before he even knew it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How do you typically approach 'knowing God's will' — as something you're figuring out or something you're receiving?
- 2.What does it mean to you that Paul's calling included not just tasks but personal encounter — seeing and hearing Jesus?
- 3.Have you ever experienced a moment where you felt genuinely chosen by God for something specific?
- 4.How would it change your daily life to believe that God's primary plan for you is encounter, not productivity?
Devotional
Three gifts are packed into this verse: knowing God's will, seeing Jesus, and hearing His voice. And all three were described as God's choice, not Paul's achievement. "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee" — this was decided before Paul had any say in it.
That might feel unsettling or deeply comforting, depending on where you are. If you've been striving to figure out God's will, this verse suggests a different posture: you were chosen to know it. It's not a puzzle you're solving — it's a revelation you're receiving.
Seeing the Just One and hearing His voice — these describe intimacy, not just information. God's plan for Paul wasn't just a task list. It was a relationship. The mission flowed from the encounter, not the other way around.
What if your calling works the same way? What if the thing you're supposed to do is secondary to the person you're supposed to know? What if God's primary plan for you isn't a career or a ministry but a deepening encounter with Jesus that naturally overflows into everything else?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And now why tarriest thou?.... Though it might not be the apostle's case, yet it is often the case of many, to…
Shouldest know his will - His will in the plan of salvation, and in regard to your future life. And see that Just One -…
And see that Just One - The Lord Jesus, called the Just One, in opposition to the Jews, who crucified him as a…
Paul here gives such an account of himself as might serve not only to satisfy the chief captain that he was not that…
The God of our fathers, &c. Ananias spake naturally as one Jew to another. At the commencement of the Christian Church…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture