Acts 9 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The Damascus road — the persecutor arrested 9:1–9

vv. 1–2 — Saul armed with letters for Damascus

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,participial — preposed circumstantial carrying the subject — ἐμπνέων: his very breath is menace (NT hapax); leans on ᾐτήσατο

going to the high priest,participial — second preposed participle — the persecutor seeks official warrant

requested from him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,independent — indirect middle ᾐτήσατο — letters for his own use; the synagogues as extradition addresses

so that, if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women,conditional — ὅπως opens the purpose, the ἐάν-protasis embedded before its verb — ἡ ὁδός, 'the Way,' the movement's earliest self-designation

he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.purpose — the apodosis completes the ὅπως clause — δεδεμένους fronted: bound is the point

vv. 3–6 — the light, the voice, the command

Now as he traveled,phrase modifier — fronted ἐν τῷ + infinitive — Luke's temporal frame; leans on ἐγένετο

it came about that he was nearing Damascus,independent — Lukan ἐγένετο + accusative-infinitive — Septuagintal narrative idiom

and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,independent — περιήστραψεν — the lightning-verb; the theophany strikes mid-road

and falling to the ground,participial — preposed aorist participle — leans on ἤκουσεν

he heard a voice saying to him:independent — accusative φωνήν — Saul hears the utterance as address (contrast v. 7)

'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'content — doubled Semitic vocative (Exod 3:4; 1 Sam 3:10) — με: the exalted Christ identified with his persecuted people

And he said:independent — the counter-question — Saul answers the unseen voice

'Who are you, Lord?'content — κύριε — at minimum 'sir,' about to become confession

And he:independent — elliptical reply-frame — the verb of saying suppressed

'I am Jesus,content — the self-identification — the heavenly κύριος bears the earthly name

whom you are persecuting;relative — emphatic σύ — the charge of v. 4 made personal; the Western goad-saying (cf. 26:14) is absent from the text here

but risecontent — ἀλλά breaks off — no rebuke elaborated, only command

and enter the city,content — the persecutor sent into the city he meant to purge

and it will be told youcontent — divine passive — the plan withheld, to be mediated through Ananias

what you must do.'content — indirect question as subject of λαληθήσεται — δεῖ, Luke's verb of divine necessity

vv. 7–9 — the companions, the blindness, the fast

The men traveling with him stood speechless,independent — pluperfect εἱστήκεισαν with stative force — frozen mid-scene

hearing the voiceparticipial — genitive τῆς φωνῆς — a sound reached them; 22:9's accusative denies the intelligible address: the classical distinction, almost certainly deliberate

but seeing no one.participial — μέν ... δέ — sound without sight; the revelation is Saul's alone

And Saul rose from the ground,independent — passive-form ἠγέρθη — raised from where the light felled him

but though his eyes were opened,participial — genitive absolute, concessive — leans on ἔβλεπεν

he saw nothing;independent — the seer of the light blinded — imperfect: an ongoing dark

and leading him by the hand,participial — χειραγωγοῦντες — the man with the warrants led like a child; leans on εἰσήγαγον

they brought him into Damascus.independent — the entry planned in power made in helplessness

And for three days he was without sight,independent — periphrastic — three days of dark before rising, light, and baptism

and he neither ate nor drank.independent — the fast of the stricken — penitence and preparation together

Ananias — the double vision and the baptism 9:10–19a

vv. 10–12 — the Lord's instructions: the street called Straight

Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias,independent — the second actor introduced — an otherwise unknown disciple; the church is already in Damascus

and the Lord said to him in a vision:independent — ἐν ὁράματι — the first panel of the double vision

'Ananias.'content — the bare vocative call — the pattern of 1 Sam 3

And he said:independent — the answering frame

'Here I am, Lord.'content — hinneni — the servant's verbless answer (Gen 22:1; 1 Sam 3:4; Isa 6:8)

And the Lord to him:independent — verbless speech-frame — the dialogue quickens

'Rise and go to the street called Straight,content — attendant ἀναστάς + imperative — the address given with documentary precision; the street still crosses Damascus

and seek in the house of Judas a man of Tarsus named Saul;content — Ταρσέα — the home city named, anticipating v. 30

for behold, he is praying,cause — the grounds — the persecutor's breath (v. 1) has become prayer

and he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on himcause — coordinate with προσεύχεται under the same γάρ — the second panel: Saul's vision reported inside the Lord's

so that he might see again.'purpose — the goal of the laid-on hands — ἀναβλέπω, the chapter's recovery verb

vv. 13–16 — the objection and the election word

But Ananias answered:independent — the objection-frame — the commissioned servant demurs (cf. Moses, Jeremiah)

'Lord, I have heard from many about this man,content — τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου — distancing: Saul's reputation has outrun him

how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem;content — ὅσα κακά — indirect exclamation; οἱ ἅγιοι, the believers first so named in Acts

and here he has authority from the chief priestscontent — ὧδε — the danger is present and local; how Ananias knows of the letters is left untold

to bind all who call on your name.'content — epexegetic infinitive — 'those who call on the name,' the oldest designation of the believers (cf. Joel 3:5)

But the Lord said to him:independent — the overruling

'Go,content — the objection answered by repeating the imperative of v. 11

for this man is my chosen instrumentcause — σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς — Hebraic genitive of quality, 'a vessel of election': the persecutor is already chosen

to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;purpose — τοῦ + infinitive of purpose — the Pauline mission mapped: Gentiles first in the list, Israel last

for I myself will show himcause — coordinate grounds — emphatic ἐγώ: the Lord takes over Saul's instruction

how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.'content — ὅσα ... παθεῖν answers ὅσα κακά (v. 13) — the binder of the name-callers will suffer for the name

vv. 17–19a — the hands, the scales, the baptism

So Ananias departedindependent — the obedience — one verb, no further protest

and entered the house,independent — the house of v. 11 — the vision's script enacted

and laying his hands on him,participial — preposed participle — Saul's own vision (v. 12) fulfilled; leans on εἶπεν

he said:independent — the speech-frame

'Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me —content — ἀδελφέ — the persecutor greeted as family; perfect ἀπέσταλκεν, a standing commission

Jesus, the one who appeared to you on the roadphrase modifier — apposition — the κύριος of the visions named as the Jesus of the road; ὀφθείς, the resurrection-appearance verb

by which you were coming —relative — attracted relative (ᾗ for ἥν) — the road remembered

so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'purpose — the double purpose — sight and Spirit together, with no apostolic mediation from Jerusalem

And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales,independent — ὡσεὶ λεπίδες — 'as it were scales': the simile offered as appearance, not diagnosis

and he saw again,independent — ἀναβλέπω — the purpose of vv. 12 and 17 accomplished

and rising,participial — preposed participle — the ἀνάστηθι of v. 6 completed; leans on ἐβαπτίσθη

he was baptized,independent — the seal — the persecutor joins those he came to bind

and taking food,participial — preposed participle — the three-day fast ends; leans on ἐνίσχυσεν

he was strengthened.independent — ἐνίσχυσεν — bodily restoration closes the conversion scene

Saul in Damascus — the proclamation and the basket 9:19b–25

vv. 19b–22 — εὐθέως in the synagogues

And he was with the disciples in Damascus for some days,independent — v. 19b — Lukan ἐγένετο; the hunter now numbered among the hunted

and immediately in the synagogues he was proclaiming Jesus:independent — εὐθέως + inceptive imperfect — the synagogues addressed in v. 2's letters become his pulpit

that this man is the Son of God.content — ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ — only here in Acts as a proclamation title; the content of the road made public

And all who heard were astonishedindependent — iterative imperfect — the amazement renews with every hearing

and kept saying:independent — the speech-frame for the crowd's double question

'Is not this the man who was ravaging in Jerusalem those who call on this name,content — πορθήσας — 'ravaged': Paul's own verb for his past (Gal 1:13, 23)

and had he not come here for this,content — pluperfect ἐληλύθει — his errand recalled mid-question

to bring them bound before the chief priests?'purpose — epexegetic to εἰς τοῦτο — v. 2 quoted back almost verbatim

But Saul was all the more empoweredindependent — imperfect passive — strength given, and growing

and kept confounding the Jews living in Damascus,independent — συνέχυννεν — threw into confusion; the debater's verb

provingparticipial — συμβιβάζων — 'putting together': arguing the case from the Scriptures

that this man is the Christ.content — the messianic thesis — paired with 'Son of God' (v. 20), the chapter's double confession

vv. 23–25 — the plot and the basket

But when many days were being fulfilled,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — Luke's 'many days' covers the Arabian interval of Gal 1:17–18

the Jews plotted together to do away with him;independent — ἀνελεῖν — the section's recurring murder-verb (vv. 24, 29)

But their plot became known to Saul.independent — ἐπιβουλή — the first of the plots that will track Paul through Acts

And they were watching even the gates day and nightindependent — iterative imperfect — the city sealed; 2 Cor 11:32 names the ethnarch under King Aretas

so that they might do away with him;purpose — the watch's purpose — the verb of v. 23 repeated

but his disciples took himparticipial — preposed participle — οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, 'his disciples': the harder reading stands; Saul already has converts; leans on καθῆκαν

and by night let him down through the wall,independent — διὰ τοῦ τείχους — through a window in the wall (2 Cor 11:33)

lowering him in a basket.participial — means participle — σπυρίς, the hamper of the feeding stories; Paul tells the escape against himself in 2 Cor 11:30–33

Saul in Jerusalem — Barnabas, the Hellenists, the church's peace 9:26–31

vv. 26–27 — feared by the disciples, sponsored by Barnabas

And arriving in Jerusalem,participial — preposed participle — three years after the road (Gal 1:18); leans on ἐπείραζεν

he kept trying to join the disciples;independent — conative imperfect — the attempts repeatedly rebuffed

and all were afraid of him,independent — Ananias' fear (v. 13) written church-wide — they cannot believe their persecutor

not believingparticipial — causal participle — the ground of the fear

that he was a disciple.content — retained present ἐστίν in indirect discourse

But Barnabas, taking hold of him,participial — the 'son of encouragement' (4:36) lives his name; leans on ἤγαγεν

brought him to the apostlesindependent — the sponsorship — Gal 1:18–19 names Cephas and James

and recounted to themindependent — Barnabas tells Saul's story for him

how on the road he saw the Lordcontent — indirect question — the seeing that makes an apostle (1 Cor 9:1)

and that he spoke to him,content — the Lord as subject — the road retold as Christ's act

and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.content — παρρησιάζομαι — the boldness-verb now attaches to Saul (v. 28; 13:46)

vv. 28–30 — the Hellenists and the sending to Tarsus

And he was with them, going in and going out in Jerusalem,independent — periphrastic with paired participles — Semitic idiom for free public movement

speaking boldly in the name of the Lord,participial — third periphrastic participle — Barnabas' report (v. 27) verified in Jerusalem

and he was speaking and disputing with the Hellenists;independent — the Greek-speaking synagogues — Stephen's old arena (6:9–10), Saul now on Stephen's side of it

but they kept attempting to do away with him.independent — conative imperfect — the Damascus pattern repeats in Jerusalem

And the brothers, learning of it,participial — preposed participle — leans on κατήγαγον

brought him down to Caesareaindependent — down to the coast — an escorted exit, the second escape

and sent him off to Tarsus.independent — home to Cilicia (cf. Gal 1:21) — offstage until Barnabas fetches him (11:25)

v. 31 — the summary: the church at peace

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace,independent — μὲν οὖν panel-summary — singular ἡ ἐκκλησία spanning three regions (Western text: plural): one church in many places

being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord,participial — the building metaphor + Septuagintal 'walking' — inward growth and outward conduct together

and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit it kept multiplying.independent — παράκλησις — the Spirit doing what Barnabas does; the growth-refrain of 6:7 and 12:24

Peter at Lydda — Aeneas healed 9:32–35

Now it came about that Peter, going through all those parts, came down also to the saints living at Lydda.independent — Lukan ἐγένετο + accusative-infinitive — the narrative returns to Peter; the peace of v. 31 permits the tour

And he found there a man named Aeneas,independent — a Greek name in a Judean town — disciple or not, Luke does not say

lying on a mat for eight years,participial — supplementary participle — the duration fronted: a settled, hopeless case

who was paralyzed.relative — periphrastic pluperfect — Luke's clinical παραλελυμένος rather than the popular παραλυτικός

And Peter said to him:independent — the healing word — no prayer narrated here; contrast v. 40

'Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you;content — aoristic present ἰᾶται — 'here and now heals': Peter is instrument, not healer

rise, and spread your bed for yourself.'content — στρῶσον σεαυτῷ — make your own bed: do for yourself what eight years required of others

And immediately he rose.independent — the command performed in its own verb

And all who lived at Lydda and the Sharon saw him,independent — the plain of Sharon — the healed man himself is the evidence

and they turned to the Lord.relative — ἐπέστρεψαν — the conversion-verb; hyperbolic πάντες in Luke's summary manner

Peter at Joppa — Tabitha raised 9:36–43

vv. 36–37 — Tabitha of Joppa dies

Now in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha,independent — μαθήτρια — the NT's only feminine 'disciple'

which, being translated, means Dorcas;phrase modifier — the narrator's translation gloss — Aramaic Tabitha = Greek Δορκάς, 'gazelle,' rendered for Gentile readers within the narrative

she was full of good works and acts of mercyindependent — πλήρης — the fullness-formula of 6:3, 5 applied to charity

which she kept doing.relative — attracted relative (ὧν for ἅς) — imperfect: an ongoing practice, about to be shown in cloth

And it came about in those days that she fell ill and died;independent — Lukan ἐγένετο + accusative-infinitive — the aorist participle compresses illness into death

and washing her,participial — preposed participle — the burial washing; leans on ἔθηκαν

they laid her in an upper room.independent — laid out, not buried — the Elijah/Elisha upper room (1 Kgs 17:19; 2 Kgs 4:10)

vv. 38–39 — Peter fetched from Lydda

And Lydda being near Joppa,participial — genitive absolute — some ten miles; leans on ἀπέστειλαν

the disciples, hearingparticipial — preposed participle carrying the subject — leans on ἀπέστειλαν

that Peter was in it,content — retained present in indirect discourse — news of v. 32's visit

sent two men to him,independent — the two-man delegation — a formal summons

urging:participial — the participle of entreaty frames the message

'Do not delay to come over to us.'content — μὴ ὀκνήσῃς — courteous urgency; they do not say why, or what they hope for

And rising,participial — preposed participle — leans on συνῆλθεν

Peter went with them;independent — the immediate compliance

and when he arrived they led him up to the upper room,relative — connective relative ὃν with proleptic participle — Luke's literary linkage

and all the widows stood beside him,independent — the widows — the order Tabitha served stands as her mourners

weeping and showing tunics and garments,participial — middle ἐπιδεικνύμεναι — showing garments they are wearing: her works on their backs

all that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.relative — imperfect ἐποίει — the ὧν ἐποίει of v. 36 made concrete; μετ᾽ αὐτῶν οὖσα, the tender 'while she was with them'

vv. 40–41 — Ταβιθά, ἀνάστηθι

But Peter, putting them all outside,participial — the Markan template — Jesus at Jairus' house 'put them all out' (Mark 5:40); leans on προσηύξατο

and kneeling down,participial — second preposed participle — unlike v. 34, here Peter first prays

he prayed,independent — the power asked for, not presumed

and turning to the body,participial — πρὸς τὸ σῶμα — still a corpse; leans on εἶπεν

he said:independent — the speech-frame

'Tabitha, arise.'content — one syllable from Ταλιθα κούμ (Mark 5:41) — Peter repeats his Lord's raising word in the pattern of his Lord's deed

And she opened her eyes,independent — the waking narrated in stages — eyes, sight, sitting

and seeing Peter,participial — preposed participle — leans on ἀνεκάθισεν

she sat up.independent — ἀνεκάθισεν — Luke's verb for the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:15)

And giving her his hand,participial — preposed participle — the hand offered after the raising, not effecting it; leans on ἀνέστησεν

he raised her up;independent — ἀνίστημι completes the ἀνάστηθι of v. 40

and calling the saints and the widows,participial — preposed participle — the mourners recalled; leans on παρέστησεν

he presented her alive.independent — παρέστησεν ζῶσαν — the widows who stood by (v. 39) now shown the living Tabitha

vv. 42–43 — the report, and the tanner's house

And it became known throughout all Joppa,independent — the report-formula — as at Lydda, the deed itself preaches

and many believed in the Lord.independent — ἐπίστευσαν ἐπί — faith's directional idiom; the raising serves the word

And it came about that he stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.independent — the tanner — an unclean trade by strict reckoning; the lodging quietly stages the Cornelius revolution (ch. 10)

Analysis. Acts 9 is Luke's narrative rather than Mark's, and the shape shows it: the mainline still runs flush-left, but the clauses link with δέ rather than καί, aorists rather than historic presents, and Luke's signature — visible in every section — is the preposed aorist participle leaning forward, anchor-less, on the verb below it (πεσὼν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας, ἐκβαλὼν δὲ ἔξω πάντας), joined by two genitive absolutes (ἀνεῳγμένων τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, ἐγγὺς οὔσης Λύδδας) and the Septuagintal ἐγένετο + accusative-infinitive frames (vv. 3, 32, 37, 43). Speech hangs blue beneath its frames, and three dialogues carry the chapter: the Damascus-road exchange (the doubled vocative Σαοὺλ Σαούλ echoing Exod 3:4 and 1 Sam 3:10; Τίς εἶ, κύριε; answered by Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς under an elliptical, verbless ὁ δέ), the double-vision dialogue with Ananias (his objection overruled by the σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς election word with its τοῦ βαστάσαι purpose-infinitive and the promised sufferings), and Peter's two healing words (Αἰνέα ... ἀνάστηθι καὶ στρῶσον σεαυτῷ, and Ταβιθά, ἀνάστηθι — deliberately one syllable from Ταλιθα κούμ, Mark 5:41). Cruxes the layout flags or takes a side on: the Western/Byzantine expansion at vv. 5–6 ('hard for you to kick against the goads ... trembling and astonished') is absent from the Alexandrian text printed here and left to 26:14; v. 7's genitive ἤκουον τῆς φωνῆς (a sound heard) is tagged against 22:9's accusative (the utterance not grasped) — the classical distinction Luke exploits; v. 25's οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ('his disciples' — Saul already has converts) stands as the harder reading; v. 31's singular ἡ ἐκκλησία spanning three regions (Western: plural) is the printed text; and Tabitha's Aramaic name is glossed inside the narrative by the narrator's own parenthesis (ἣ διερμηνευομένη λέγεται Δορκάς), set as a modifier line under her name.