Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Acts 26:18 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 18. 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Defines the commission as opening eyes, turning from darkness and Satan, and receiving forgiveness and inheritance.
Read It With
- Acts 26:9–26:18
Read Acts 26:18 with 26:9–26:18. In isolation, this contribution—defines the commission as opening eyes, turning from darkness and Satan, and receiving forgiveness and inheritance—can be mistaken for the scene's whole claim, detached from its speaker or narrator, or separated from its outcome. The complete unit establishes: Paul admits imprisoning saints, voting for deaths, punishing them in synagogues, and pursuing them abroad; he then recounts the heavenly confrontation and commission to open eyes and carry light among Israel and Gentiles.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Defines the commission as opening eyes, turning from darkness and Satan, and receiving forgiveness and inheritance. This precise contribution belongs inside “Paul confesses persecution and retells his commission” because Paul admits imprisoning saints, voting for deaths, punishing them in synagogues, and pursuing them abroad; he then recounts the heavenly confrontation and commission to open eyes and carry light among Israel and Gentiles.
What Remains True
Acts 26:18's particular contribution—defines the commission as opening eyes, turning from darkness and Satan, and receiving forgiveness and inheritance—shows that faithful witness remains accountable to the verse's speaker, narrated setting, affected people, and the complete movement of Acts 26:9–26:18.
How It Can Shape Life
- Practice Acts 26:18's particular contribution—defines the commission as opening eyes, turning from darkness and Satan, and receiving forgiveness and inheritance—through this passage-controlled response: Confess religious violence plainly, distinguish commission from coercion, and let changed conduct support the credibility of testimony.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Acts 26:9–26:18 — Paul confesses persecution and retells his commissionSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and unit coverage.
Exact location: Acts 26:9–26:18, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording and punctuation control, without pretending one edition is a complete apparatus.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text, Acts 26:9-26:18
Open the Acts Greek text file ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Morphology and lexical cross-check for words explicitly discussed in this unit.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data, TAGNT rows for Acts 26:9-26:18
Open source ↗open translation and translator notes
NET Bible First Edition Notes: Acts
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2006
Supports: Verse-attached textual, translation, language, geography, chronology, and historical notes actually printed for the unit.
Exact location: NET Bible First Edition Acts PDF, printed pp. 2104-2205, exact tn/tc/sn entries attached to 26:9–26:18
Open source ↗