Acts 26:18 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹⁸ to open their eyes [to the truth] so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power [i.e., the influence] of Satan to God. [Then] they can receive the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance [of never ending life], along with [all] those who are set apart [for God] by trusting in Me.’

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁸ to 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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁸ To open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me. [Isa. 42:7, 16.]

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁸ to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.

Common English Bible

¹⁸ to open their eyes. Then they can turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, and receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are made holy by faith in me.’

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁸ in order to open their eyes, so that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive the remission of sins and a place among the saints, through the faith that is in me.'

Acts 26:18 Cross References

1 Peter 2:9

But you people are especially chosen [by God]; you are a royal body of priests; you are a nation especially set apart for God’s use; you are a people who belong exclusively to God, that you may express the virtues of the One who called you out of darkness [i.e., of sin and error], and into His marvelous light [i.e., righteousness and truth].

Ephesians 1:18

I pray that your minds will be enlightened so that you will know what the hope is, to which God has called you, and what the glorious abundance is, of God’s inheritance in the saints [Note: Paul wanted them to appreciate the value God placed on them],

Ephesians 5:8

for you people were once darkness [i.e., when living in sin], but now you are light in [fellowship with] the Lord. [So], live like people who belong to light [i.e., who live godly lives],

Acts 20:32

“Now I commit you [elders] to God and to the message of His unearned favor which can build you up [spiritually] and provide you with the inheritance [of never ending life], along with others who are [specially] set apart [for God].

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said [Gen. 1:3], “Light will shine out of darkness,” has [also] shone in our hearts to provide [us with] the light of the knowledge of God’s splendor [as it shines] on the face of Christ. [Note: This allusion to “splendor shining on Christ’s face” may be a continuation of the analogy used in 3:13].

John 8:12

So, Jesus spoke to them again [i.e., to the Jewish authorities. See 7:45], saying, “I am the light of the world. The person who becomes my follower will never live in [spiritual] darkness, but have the light of [i.e., for his] life [i.e., followers of Jesus will not live in error and sin but in truth and righteousness].”

Luke 1:79

to shine on those who are sitting in darkness and [are under] the shadow of death, and to direct our feet into the way of peace.”

Ephesians 4:18

Their understanding [of spiritual things] is darkened and excluded from the [spiritual] life that God gives, because of the ignorance in their minds and the stubbornness in their hearts.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not team up with unbelievers [i.e., in close relationships, such as marriage, etc.] For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or, what fellowship can light have with darkness?

2 Corinthians 4:4

For the god of this world [i.e., Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they would not see the light of the Gospel of the splendor of Christ, who is the image of God.

1 John 3:8

[But] the person who continues to live a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has continued to sin since the beginning [See Gen. 3]. For this is the reason that the Son of God came [into the world]; it was to destroy the works [i.e., the influence of] the devil [in people’s lives].

Acts 2:38

And Peter replied, “Every one of you must repent [i.e., change your hearts and lives] and be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ [i.e., by His authority] so that your sins will be forgiven [by God] and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [to live in your hearts].

1 John 5:19

We [also] know that we are [children] of God and that the people of the whole world lie under [the control of] the evil one [i.e., Satan].

1 John 1:9

[But] if we confess our sins [to God], He is faithful [to His promise] and righteous [in His judgment], and will forgive us of those sins and cleanse us from all of our wrongdoing.

Acts 20:21

[You know how] I testified to both Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles], that they must repent [i.e., change their attitudes and behavior] toward God, and have faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:47

And [the need for] a change of heart and life in order to receive the forgiveness of sins [from God] will be preached in Jesus’ name [i.e., by His authority] to people of all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:27

And there will never be anything [morally] unclean allowed to enter it, nor any person who practices disgusting behavior [i.e., probably such sins as sexual perversion], or [any person] who is a liar. But the only ones [allowed there] are those [whose names are] recorded in the Lamb’s book of life.

1 Peter 2:25

For you people were wandering away like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Hebrews 11:6

And unless one has faith, it is impossible for him to be pleasing to God, for the person who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

Acts 13:47

For the Lord commanded us to do this by saying, 'I have appointed you to be a light to the [unconverted] Gentiles, so that you should be [the occasion] for [bringing] salvation to the farthest corner of the earth.'"

Acts 15:9

And He did not discriminate between us [i.e., Jews] and them [i.e., Gentiles], cleansing their hearts [also] by faith [in Jesus].

Acts 5:31

But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him].

John 9:5

While I am in the world I am the light of the world.”

John 3:19

Now this is [how God’s] judgment [works]: The Light [See 1:5-9] has come into the world, but people loved darkness [i.e., sin] rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil.

1 John 2:12

I am writing to you, little children [i.e., dear ones], because you have been forgiven of your sins for [the sake of] Christ’s name.

1 Peter 1:4

Through Him we have an inheritance that cannot be corrupted or contaminated, and will never disappear; it is reserved in heaven for you.

John 17:17

Set them apart [i.e., for your service] through the truth; your word is truth.

Luke 1:77

And [you will] provide the knowledge of salvation to His people, by [granting them] the forgiveness of their sins

Jude 1:1

[This is being written by] Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James [Note: This “Jude” was probably not the apostle. See verses 17-18], to those who have been called [by God], who are also loved in [fellowship with] God the Father, and who are kept [safe] in [fellowship with] Jesus Christ.

James 2:5

Listen, my dearly loved brothers; did not God choose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be wealthy in faith and to inherit the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Hebrews 10:14

For by one offering [i.e., the sacrifice of Himself], Christ has made perfect forever those people who are being set apart for God.

Galatians 3:14

[This happened] so that the blessing [promised] to Abraham might be received by the Gentiles through [the person and work of] Christ, so that we might receive the promised [gift of the] Holy Spirit through [our] faith [in Jesus].

Luke 24:45

Then He opened their minds [miraculously (?)] so they would understand the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 2:26

and that they will come to their senses and escape from being trapped by the devil, who had captured them to do what he wanted.

Ephesians 2:8

For you have been saved by God’s unearned favor, through [your] faith, and that [salvation] was not the result of your own doing; it was the gift from God.

Ephesians 1:11

It is in [fellowship with] Christ that we [Jewish Christians] also were selected as [God’s] inheritance [i.e., to receive His never ending blessings], having been predetermined according to the plan of God, who works out everything in harmony with what He wants.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But God brought you into [fellowship with] Christ Jesus, who was made to be God’s wisdom for us. Through Christ you have received a right relationship with God, [as well as] holiness and redemption [i.e., being bought back from Satan].

Luke 4:18

“The Holy Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me [i.e., specially chose me] to preach good news to poor people. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to those who are captives [i.e., to sin]; recovery of sight to the [spiritually as well as physically] blind; to set free those who are oppressed [i.e., by Satan] and

Luke 2:32

[to be] a light for revealing [God’s way of salvation] to the [unconverted] Gentiles, and a [source of] glory to your people, the Israelites.”

Matthew 4:16

the people who lived [there] in [spiritual] darkness saw a great light. Light shone upon these people, who lived in an area that was under the shadow of death.”

Hebrews 10:10

By [Christ doing] what God wanted we have been set aside for God through Jesus Christ offering His body once for all time.

Hebrews 9:15

Therefore, Christ is the Mediator of a New Agreement, so that [all] those people who have been called [by God] can receive the promise of the never ending inheritance. [This is possible because] a death has taken place for the redemption of [people’s] sins who lived under the first Agreement.

Ephesians 5:14

So, it says, “You who are asleep, wake up and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you [i.e., illuminate you].” [Note: The foregoing words may have been an early saying, used at someone’s immersion, which included the ideas of “rising up” (See Col. 2:12) and “illumination” (See Heb. 6:4) ].

Ephesians 1:14

He is a down payment of our inheritance, until God’s own possession [i.e., His people] receives redemption. [Note: Here “redemption” refers to receiving a new body in heaven]. May this bring about praise to God’s splendor!

Ephesians 1:7

In [fellowship with] Christ we have redemption [i.e., we have been bought back from Satan] through His blood, and have forgiveness of sins according to the abundance of God’s unearned favor,

Galatians 3:2

The only thing I would like to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Holy Spirit [into your lives] by [meeting the requirements of] the Law of Moses or by hearing [and obeying the message] of faith [in Christ]?

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified [i.e., died] with Christ, and so I am not the one who lives [anymore] but rather, it is Christ who lives in my heart. And [now] my entire life is being lived by trusting in the Son of God [to save and keep me], because He loved me and gave Himself up for me.

1 Corinthians 1:2

[it is being sent] to the church of God at Corinth. [You people are] set apart in [the fellowship of] Christ Jesus and called [by God] to be saints [i.e., His holy people], along with all [others] everywhere who call on our Lord Jesus Christ [i.e., in prayer]. He is their Lord and ours [as well].

Romans 8:17

And if we are [His] children, then we have an inheritance from God [i.e., blessings here and hereafter] and are fellow-sharers with Christ [of such blessings], providing we [are willing to] suffer with Him, so we can also be honored with Him [i.e., in the future life. See verses 18-25].

Acts 26:23

namely, that the Christ must suffer and be the first to rise from the dead [i.e., never to die again] and then proclaim the light [of the Gospel] to the [Jewish] people and to the Gentiles.”

Acts 10:43

All the prophets have testified [in their writings], that it is through the name of Jesus that every person who believes in Him will receive the forgiveness of sins.”

Acts 3:19

Therefore, you people [must] repent [i.e., change your hearts and lives] and turn [back] again [to God] so that your sins will be blotted out and so that you may enjoy times of [spiritual] refreshment from the presence of the Lord [i.e., through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit].

John 9:39

And Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge [it], so that people who can not see [spiritually] will [be able to] see; and those who [think they can] see [spiritually] will become blind.”

John 4:14

but whoever drinks the water I give him will never get thirsty [again]. For the water I will give him will become in him [i.e., in his spirit] a spring of water, bubbling up and producing never ending life.” [See John 7:38].

John 4:10

Jesus answered her, “If you [only] knew the [real] gift of God, and who it is that said to you, ‘[Please], give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Matthew 4:10

Then Jesus replied to him, “Get away from me Satan, for it is written [Deut. 6:13], ‘You are supposed to worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.’”

Acts 26:19

“As a result of this, O King, I did not disobey [the mandate of] this vision from heaven

Ephesians 5:11

Do not have fellowship with [people who practice] worthless deeds of darkness [i.e., sinful living], but expose them instead.

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not [actually] against human beings, but against rulers and authorities and leaders of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Note: “Heavenly realms” here refers to the struggle against Satanic powers which permeates life around us].