Who was Judas in the Bible on Straight Street?

Judas was a Christian disciple living in Damascus on Straight Street. He is known for hosting the newly converted Saul (later the Apostle Paul) after Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11).

Why is Judas of Damascus significant?

His significance lies in his obedience and hospitality. He provided a safe place for the blinded Saul to stay and was the contact point for the Lord's messenger, Ananias, which was crucial for Saul's healing and early ministry (Acts 9:11-17).

What happened at the house of Judas in Damascus?

At Judas's house, the blinded Saul prayed and received a vision of a man named Ananias coming to heal him. This event directly led to Ananias's visit, Saul's healing, baptism, and the beginning of his powerful ministry as Paul (Acts 9:11-19).

Judas

New TestamentNew TestamentMaleChristian in damascus

Judas was a Christian living on Straight Street in Damascus, where Saul (Paul) stayed after his conversion.

Judas

Biography

Judas of Damascus was a believer in the early Christian community who resided on Straight Street in Damascus, one of the city's most prominent thoroughfares (Acts 9:11). When Saul of Tarsus arrived in Damascus after his blinding encounter with the risen Christ on the road, the Lord appeared to the disciple Ananias in a vision and directed him to find Saul at the house of this Judas. The detail that Saul was found there in prayer, fasting and without sight, indicates Judas provided him both hospitality and shelter during a critical moment of spiritual transformation. Although Judas of Damascus appears only briefly in Acts, his household became the setting for one of history's most significant conversions, as Saul awaited restoration, baptism, and his commissioning as the apostle to the Gentiles.

Significance

Judas of Damascus represents the unsung but essential role of ordinary believers in God's redemptive work. The address of his home on Straight Street became the coordinates of providential history: there, the persecutor of the Church awaited transformation into its greatest missionary. His willingness to house a known enemy of the faith speaks to the hospitality and courage of early Christians. Theologically, this episode illustrates that God's sovereign purposes often hinge on the faithfulness of individuals whose names are barely remembered. Judas's household reminds readers that ordinary homes offered in service to God can become holy ground where history is changed.

Verse Appearances (1)

Acts

Acts 5:37

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources