Chapter 9
[Acts 9:11-12] -- Behold, he prays and sees a man named Ananias entering and laying hands on him. In Greek, it is held thus: And he saw in a vision a man, that is, ἐν ὁράματι, which name Juvencus the priest also used in the evangelical poem, saying: Make all ignorant of this vision. Therefore, it appears that during those three days, in which he, being blinded, awaited the grace of future light, he was by no means idle or torpid, but rather elevated by divine illumination, he explored heavenly secrets; and, unless I am mistaken, it is credible that at that time he was taught the mystery of the evangelical dispensation, of which he himself boasts to the Galatians, saying: For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. I). And shortly afterwards: But when it pleased Him who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem, etc. (Ibid.). Also, the text of this little book, which is appended: He was with the disciples who were at Damascus for some days, and immediately in the synagogues he preached Jesus, that He is the Son of God (Acts IX), in no way asserts that he learned anything from men, but rather confirms that he immediately took up the ministry of an eminent teacher after baptism. Certainly, he is to be compared to him of whom it is written: Because the word of the Lord set him on fire (Psalm CIV).
[Acts 9:23-24] -- The Jews made a council to kill him. But the plot against Paul was known to him; and they watched the gates of the city day and night to kill him. It was not the Jews who kept watch, but the citizens themselves with their king Aretas, as the Apostle himself, who was besieged and escaped, writes to the Galatians. For both Gentiles and Jews, although they disagree among themselves, always agree in the persecution of Christians.
[Acts 9:26] -- When he had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. In this verse, in Greek, the name Paul is applied: "When Paul had come to Jerusalem," not because at that time he was yet called so, before he converted Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus, to the faith of Christ, but he is now called by anticipation in this way, the blessed Luke speaking opportunely: to indicate beforehand that he was to be called Paul, when he first came to Jerusalem after his conversion, and was said to be joined to the apostles, so that where a little earlier he had exited as a proud persecutor of the Church, he now entered as a humble protector of the Church. For since in Latin "paulum" means "little," rightly did he prefer to be called Paul, who did not cease to remain humble amid the greatest works of virtue. Nor is it to be thought that Paul or Peter are Hebrew words, but rather Latin or Greek words, since it is certain Hebrews do not have the letter p in any way.
[Acts 9:27] -- But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and narrated to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, etc. When these things were done, and to which apostles Barnabas brought Paul, Paul himself shows, writing to the Galatians: But when it pleased Him who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, and so forth, until he says: Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother (Galatians 1). Therefore what Luke subsequently says: And he was with them entering and departing out of Jerusalem, it is credible that this was acted during the fifteen days which he asserts himself to have stayed with Peter and James. And as for what follows, he himself in the Epistle says: Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1), and how this happened Luke thus subsequently insinuates saying:
[Acts 9:29-30] -- And he spoke and disputed against the Greeks, but they sought to kill him. When the brethren knew of it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. For Tarsus is a city of Cilicia, and Caesarea Philippi is also a city of Syria. And when he adds: But he was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ; they had only heard, that he who once persecuted us now preaches the faith which once he ravaged (Galatians 1). This is what Luke had previously stated, that he attempted to join the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple, until they learned from Barnabas narrating it. Therefore, since it is established that Paul came to Jerusalem after three years of his conversion, and was associated with the number of the apostles, still being, as he himself writes, unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ, they are greatly mistaken who following apocryphal books think that in the second year after the Lord's passion, he was already ordained as an apostle to the Gentiles with Barnabas.
[Acts 9:31] -- Indeed, the Church had peace throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria. Where it is said in Latin "throughout all," in Greek it is καθ' ὅλης. Hence, it should be noted that the Church is called Catholic because it is spread throughout the whole world and abides in one peace.
[Acts 9:31] -- And it was filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, or it was multiplied, as it is written in Greek. For what we say as "consolation," in Greek it is παρακλήσει: whence it is clearly evident that the Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete because, enlightening the hearts of the faithful, He multiplies the Church throughout the whole world and fills it with His grace.