“Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:”
My Notes
What Does Acts 9:13 Mean?
God tells Ananias to go find Saul of Tarsus and restore his sight. Ananias pushes back — politely but honestly. "Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem." He's basically saying: are you sure about this?
This is one of the most relatable moments in Acts. Ananias isn't refusing God — he's being honest about his fear. Saul's reputation preceded him. Ananias had heard the stories: arrests, imprisonment, authorization from the high priest to round up believers. And now God wants Ananias to walk into this man's room and lay hands on him.
What makes this moment beautiful is that God doesn't rebuke Ananias for his honesty. He listens, then repeats the instruction with more context (verse 15-16). God can handle your questions. He can handle your "but Lord, have you heard...?" He'd rather have honest dialogue than silent obedience driven by fear.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Is there a question or fear you've been holding back from God because you think He doesn't want to hear it?
- 2.How does Ananias's honest pushback change the way you think about questioning God?
- 3.Have you ever been asked to extend grace or kindness to someone whose reputation made it terrifying?
- 4.What's the difference between questioning God out of honesty and resisting God out of disobedience — and how do you know which one you're doing?
Devotional
Ananias did something that takes more courage than we give it credit for: he told God how he felt.
He didn't refuse the assignment. He didn't run. But he also didn't pretend he wasn't scared. "Lord, I have heard by many of this man..." — this is a man laying his real, human fear on the table before God. And God received it without anger.
We sometimes act as if questioning God is the same as disobeying God. It's not. Ananias questioned, received a fuller answer, and then obeyed. His honesty didn't delay God's plan — it deepened Ananias's understanding of it.
Are you holding back a question because you're afraid it's irreverent? Are you sitting on a "but Lord" that you think God doesn't want to hear? Look at Ananias. God gave him the full picture — you are sending me to a chosen vessel — and Ananias went. But first, he was honest. And that honesty was not punished. It was met with more revelation.
God is not threatened by your hesitation. He'd rather you bring it to Him than pretend it doesn't exist.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Then Ananias answered, Lord,.... Though Ananias knew that it was the Lord that spoke, and acknowledged his power and…
I have heard by many ... - This was in the vision, Act 9:10. The passage of such a train of thoughts through the mind…
Lord, I have heard by many of this man - This was all done in a dream, else this sort of reasoning with his Maker would…
As for God, his work is perfect; if he begin, he will make an end: a good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to…
I have heard by[from] many, &c. These words seem to point to a longer residence of Ananias in Damascus than he could…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture