12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:12-16 KJV)
Ananias Heals and Baptizes Paul
Apostle Paul was still talking to the Jews. After speaking about his encounter with Jesus on the way to Damascus, he proceeded with what happened to him in Damascus after his encounter.
Notice first that even though Christ personally converted Paul, it was Ananias, Christ’s servant, who had to instruct him. Christ gives grace, but He increases it through His ministers. Such is the honor Christ places on the ministers of the gospel—He regularly uses their efforts to nurture and strengthen grace in the hearts of His people.
Paul was confirmed in his conversion and further instructed by Ananias, who lived in Damascus. Ananias was a devout man according to the law and well-spoken of by all the Jews living in Damascus. Whether born a Jew or converted, he had embraced the faith of Christ and conducted himself honorably. Paul’s first Christian contact was with someone who was not hostile to Jewish law or tradition, helping to disarm the accusation that Paul was anti-Jewish.
Ananias healed Paul’s blindness to confirm that his visit was divinely authorized. He came to Paul and said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.” Immediately, Paul regained his vision and looked up, ready to listen to the instructions from the Lord delivered by Ananias.
Ananias then declared to Paul the special favor the Lord Jesus had shown him. “The God of our fathers has chosen you,” he said, “to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice of his mouth.” This confirmed that Paul’s knowledge of God’s will and his commissioning came directly from Christ himself (Galatians 1:1, Ga 1:12). Paul had the unique privilege of seeing and hearing Christ after His ascension. Christ is called the Just One, righteous and innocent. Those chosen to know God’s will must fix their eyes on Christ and listen to His voice, for through Him God makes His will known.
Ananias added, “You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15). Paul would be more than a recipient of grace—he would speak it, proclaiming the gospel based on his personal experience. Since Paul often recounted his conversion (as in Acts 26), we can assume he shared this testimony regularly in his preaching to encourage others to believe God could work in their lives too.
Ananias also urged him to be baptized immediately (Acts 22:16). Though Paul had already been circumcised, he was now to commit himself to God in Christ through baptism, embracing the Christian faith and its privileges. Baptism would seal to him the promise of forgiveness and new life. “Be baptized,” Ananias said, “and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”
This signified not just cleansing from sin but entering into a relationship with Christ, seeking forgiveness in His name and relying on His righteousness (1 Corinthians 6:11). A baptized person is also bound to call on the Lord Jesus in prayer—acknowledging Him as Lord and offering all prayers through Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). Ananias pressed the urgency: “Why wait?” Our covenant with God in Christ is too important to delay.