Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Acts » Chapter 22 » Verse 17-21

Acts 22:17-21 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

17 And G1161 it came to pass, G1096 that, when I G3427 was come again G5290 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2419 even G2532 while I G3450 prayed G4336 in G1722 the temple, G2411 I G3165 was G1096 in G1722 a trance; G1611

18 And G2532 saw G1492 him G846 saying G3004 unto me, G3427 Make haste, G4692 and G2532 get thee G1831 quickly G5034 G1722 out of G1537 Jerusalem: G2419 for G1360 they will G3858 not G3756 receive G3858 thy G4675 testimony G3141 concerning G4012 me. G1700

19 And I G2504 said, G2036 Lord, G2962 they G846 know G1987 that G3754 I G1473 imprisoned G2252 G5439 and G2532 beat G1194 in every G2596 synagogue G4864 them that believed G4100 on G1909 thee: G4571

20 And G2532 when G3753 the blood G129 of thy G4675 martyr G3144 Stephen G4736 was shed, G1632 I G846 also G2532 was G2252 standing by, G2186 and G2532 consenting G4909 unto his G846 death, G336 and G2532 kept G5442 the raiment G2440 of them that slew G337 him. G846

21 And G2532 he said G2036 unto G4314 me, G3165 Depart: G4198 for G3754 I G1473 will send G1821 thee G4571 far hence G3112 unto G1519 the Gentiles. G1484

Commentary on Acts 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 22

Ac 22:1-30. Paul's Defense from the Stairs of the FortressThe Rage of the Audience Bursting Forth, the Commandant Has Him Brought into the Fort to Be Examined by Scourging, but Learning that He Is a Roman, He Orders His Release and Commands the Sanhedrin to Try Him.

2. when they heard … the Hebrew tongue—(See on Ac 21:40).

they kept the more silence—They could have understood him in Greek, and doubtless fully expected the renegade to address them in that language, but the sound of their holy mother tongue awed them into deeper silence.

3. a Jew of Tarsus, brought up in this city, at the feet—(See on Lu 10:39).

of Gamaliel—(See on Ac 5:34); a fact of great importance in the apostle's history, standing in the same relation to his future career as Moses' education in the Egyptian court to the work for which he was destined.

the perfect manner of the law of the fathers—the strictest form of traditional Judaism.

zealous—"a zealot."

toward God as ye all are this day—his own former murderous zeal against the disciples of the Lord Jesus being merely reflected in their present treatment of himself.

4. I persecuted, &c.—(See on Ac 9:1,2; Ac 9:5-7).

5. the high priest—still alive.

doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders—the whole Sanhedrim.

8. Jesus of Nazareth—the Nazarene. See on Ac 9:5.

9-11. they that were with me—(See on Ac 9:7, &c.)

12. Ananias, a devout man, according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there—One would not know from this description of Ananias that he was a Christian at all, the apostles object being to hold him up as unexceptionable, even to the most rigid Jews.

13-15. The God of our fathers hath chosen thee—studiously linking the new economy upon the old, as but the sequel of it; both having one glorious Author.

14. that thou shouldest … see that—"the"

Just One—compare Ac 3:14; 7:52.

hear the voice of his mouth—in order to place him on a level with the other apostles, who had "seen the [risen] Lord."

16. be baptized and wash away thy sins—This way of speaking arises from baptism being the visible seal of remission.

calling on the name of the Lord—rather, "having called," that is, after having done so; referring to the confession of Christ which preceded baptism, as Ac 8:37.

17-21. it came to pass, &c.—This thrilling dialogue between the glorified Redeemer and his chosen vessel is nowhere else related.

when I was come again to Jerusalem—on the occasion mentioned in Ac 9:26-29.

while I prayed in the temple—He thus calls their attention to the fact that after his conversion he kept up his connection with the temple as before.

18. get … quickly out of Jerusalem—compare Ac 9:29.

for they will not receive thy testimony … And I said, Lord, they know, &c.—"Can it be, Lord, that they will resist the testimony of one whom they knew so well as among the bitterest of all against Thy disciples, and whom nothing short of resistless evidence could have turned to Thee?"

21. depart for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles—that is, "Enough; thy testimony is not to be thrown away upon Jerusalem; the Gentiles, afar off, are thy peculiar sphere."

22, 23. gave him audience to this word … then … Away with such a fellow from the earth, &c.—Their national prejudices lashed into fury at the mention of a mission to the Gentiles, they would speedily have done to him as they did to Stephen, but for the presence and protection of the Roman officer.

24-26. examined by scourging—according to the Roman practice.

that he might know wherefore they cried so—Paul's speech being to him in an unknown tongue, he concluded from the horror which it kindled in the vast audience that he must have been guilty of some crime.

25. Paul said to the centurion that stood by—to superintend the torture and receive the confession expected to be wrung from him.

Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, &c.—See on Ac 16:37.

27-29. art thou a Roman?—showing that this being of Tarsus, which he had told him before (Ac 21:39) did not necessarily imply that he was a Roman citizen.

28. With a great sum obtained I this freedom—Roman citizenship was bought and sold in the reign of Claudius, we know, at a high price: at a subsequent date, for next to nothing. But to put in a false claim to this privilege was a capital crime.

I was free born—born to it, by purchase, or in reward of services, on the part of his father or some ancestor.

29. chief captain also was afraid, &c.—See on Ac 16:38.

30. commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear—that is, the Sanhedrim to be formally convened. Note here the power to order a Sanhedrim to try this case, assumed by the Roman officers and acquiesced in on their part.