Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not your peace:
spake.
Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
Acts 22:18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
Acts 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Be.
Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Jeremiah 1:17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
Ezekiel 2:6-8 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house…
The risen Lord personally strengthened Paul during his ministry in Corinth. After opposition in the synagogue, Paul had continued preaching among the Gentiles, and the vision confirmed that his work in the city was directed and sustained by God. God had often revealed His will through visions to Abraham, Daniel, Peter, and Paul, and this encounter affirmed Paul’s calling as Christ’s apostle.
Act 16:9-10 During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia…
Num 12:6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you…
Gen 46:2 And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision:…
“Do not be afraid;
Hostility, rejection, and the possibility of violence could naturally bring fear. Paul later recalled coming to Corinth “in weakness and in fear and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3). The Lord’s command did not deny the reality of danger; it assured Paul that fear would not govern his obedience. God repeatedly gave such encouragement to servants called into difficult assignments, including Joshua and Isaiah.
Gen 15:1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram…
Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous?…
Jer 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you…
keep on speaking;
Paul was to continue proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah and Lord. The gospel had already produced fruit in Corinth, including Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and many other believers. Opposition from some hearers could not cancel God’s purpose or silence the message entrusted to Paul. Christ’s command established perseverance in gospel witness as an essential part of apostolic ministry.
Act 4:29-31 And now, Lord, consider their threats,…
Act 4:20 For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen…
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season;…
do not be silent.
The Lord required open and continuing testimony rather than retreat. Paul’s preaching would remain public despite resistance, because God intended to gather many people in Corinth to Himself. Faithful proclamation does not depend on favorable circumstances; it rests on Christ’s authority, presence, and saving purpose.
Psa 83:1 A song. A Psalm of Asaph. O God, be not silent;…
Isa 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent…
Psa 28:1 Of David. To You, O LORD, I call; be not deaf to me, O my Rock.…
Luke records, “One night…” (Acts 18:9), pointing to a specific, divinely appointed moment. Paul was some months into his ministry at Corinth, facing rising opposition (Acts 18:6). Night can symbolize vulnerability and weariness—times when doubts surface. Yet Scripture often shows God stepping in at night to reassure His servants (Genesis 46:2; Acts 16:9). The detail reminds us that the Lord chooses the perfect moment to meet us, even when darkness surrounds.
Visions are one of God’s direct ways of guiding His people (Numbers 12:6). Here, “the Lord” (Jesus, compare Acts 9:5–6) personally addresses Paul, confirming that the missionary is not working alone. Similar encounters shaped Paul’s calling (Acts 22:17-18) and had earlier redirected him to Macedonia (Acts 16:9). The verse underscores that Christ remains actively involved with His messengers, providing clear, timely direction.
Opposition in Corinth was growing (Acts 18:12-13), and fear, though natural, could have stifled Paul’s zeal. Jesus’ first words are the same calming command He gave Jairus (Mark 5:36) and His disciples during the storm (Matthew 14:27): “Do not be afraid.” This echoes God’s repeated promise to leaders like Joshua (Joshua 1:9) and Isaiah’s reassurance to Israel (Isaiah 41:10). The Lord addresses the inward battle first—courage must precede effective service.
Paul’s primary assignment was proclamation, so Jesus’ second directive targets action: “keep on speaking.” The verb implies continuous, unbroken witness. Earlier setbacks hadn’t invalidated the message; instead, they highlighted its necessity (1 Thessalonians 2:2). Like Jeremiah, who could not hold back God’s word (Jeremiah 20:9), Paul is urged to persist. The command mirrors later counsel Paul gives Timothy: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Silence can stem from intimidation or fatigue. Jesus eliminates that option. When authorities tried to gag the apostles, Peter replied, “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Paul must adopt the same steadfastness. The Spirit-empowered church is marked by bold utterance (Ephesians 6:19-20). By forbidding silence, the Lord guarantees the gospel will resonate in Corinth despite hostility.
Acts 18:9 reveals Jesus stepping into Paul’s darkest hour with a threefold mandate: calm his fears, confirm his calling, and command continued proclamation. The verse affirms that Christ personally safeguards His gospel’s advance, empowering His servants to speak openly and fearlessly, no matter the opposition.
(9) Then spake the Lord to Paul.—We note the recurrence of these visions at each great crisis of the Apostle’s life. He had seen the Lord at his conversion (Acts 9:4-6), he had heard the same voice and seen the same form in his trance in the Temple at Jerusalem (Acts 22:17). Now he saw and heard them once more. “In visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men,” he passed from the strife of tongues into the presence of the Divine Friend. The words “Be not afraid” imply that he too was subject to fear and depression, and felt keenly the trial of seeming failure and comparative isolation. His converts came chiefly from the slave or freed-man class, and those of a culture like his own, whether Greeks or Jews, were slow to accept his preaching (1Corinthians 1:26-27). And then, too, he carried, as it were, his life in his hands. The reviling of the Jews might any hour burst into furious violence or deliberate plots of assassination. No wonder that he needed the gracious words, “Be not afraid.” The temptation of such a moment of human weakness was to fall back, when words seem fruitless, into the safety of silence, and therefore the command followed, “Speak, and hold not thy peace.” We are reminded of the like passing mood of discouragement in one great crisis of Elijah’s life (1Kings 19:4-14), yet more, perhaps, of its frequent recurrence in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6-8; Jeremiah 15:15-21...Verse 9. - And the Lord said unto for then spake the Lord to, A.V. A vision (ὅραμα); literally, a thing seen, but always used of a wonderful "sight:" Matthew 17:9 of the Transfiguration, Acts 7:31 of the burning bush. But more commonly of a "vision," as in Acts 9:10, 12; Acts 10:3, 17, 19; Acts 11:5; Acts 12:9; Acts 16:9. So in the LXX. (Genesis 46:2, etc.). St. Paul received a similar gracious token of the Lord's watchful care of him soon after his conversion (Acts 22:17-21). He tells us that then he was in an "ecstasy," or trance. The ἔκστασις describes the mental condition of the person who sees an ὅραμαα.Acts 18:9 NIV
Acts 18:9 NLT
Acts 18:9 ESV
Acts 18:9 NASB
Acts 18:9 KJV
Acts 18:9 Study Bible
Acts 18:9 Biblia Paralela
Acts 18:9 Chinese Bible
Acts 18:9 French Bible
Acts 18:9 Catholic Bible
NT Apostles: Acts 18:9 The Lord said to Paul (Acts of the Apostles Ac)