Actschapter 22

A.Paul Tells His Story From the Castle Stairsvv. 1-21

1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.” 2 When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared, 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today. 4 I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’ 8 ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me. 10 Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’ 11 Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus. 12 There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there, 13 came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice. 15 You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’ 17 Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’ 19 ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You. 20 And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

B.Away With Him! — A Roman Citizen Unboundvv. 22-30

22 The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!” 23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him. 25 But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?” 26 On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered. 28 “I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains. 30 The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Paul's Aramaic defense to the crowd.

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Paul's Aramaic defense to the crowd. His upbringing under Gamaliel, the Damascus-road conversion retold. When he says 'the Gentiles,' the crowd interrupts. Revealed as a Roman citizen; scourging stopped.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

History · Luke — Acts overview

A. 1–21 Paul Tells His Story From the Castle Stairs
B. 22–30 Away With Him! — A Roman Citizen Unbound

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Acts 99 verses
- Acts 9:1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
- Acts 9:3As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
- Acts 9:7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
- Acts 9:8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see a thing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
- Acts 9:11“Get up!” the Lord told him. “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
- Acts 9:15“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.
- Read Acts 9: 3 more there →
Acts 265 verses
- Acts 26:5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.
- Acts 26:9So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Acts 26:12In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
- Acts 26:13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.
- Acts 26:16‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.
- Read Acts 26 →
Acts 235 verses
- Acts 23:1Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
- Acts 23:10The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
- Acts 23:11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
- Acts 23:27This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
- Acts 23:28and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
- Read Acts 23 →
Acts 214 verses
- Acts 21:31While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.
- Acts 21:33The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
- Acts 21:36For the crowd that followed him kept shouting, “Away with him!”
- Acts 21:40Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
- Read Acts 21 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Acts 224 verses
- Acts 22:4I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
- Acts 22:19‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
- Acts 22:24the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
- Acts 22:29Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
- Read Acts 22 →
Acts 73 verses
- Acts 7:2And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- Acts 7:53you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”
- Acts 7:58They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Read Acts 7 →
Acts 163 verses
- Acts 16:30Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
- Acts 16:37But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
- Acts 16:38So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
- Read Acts 16 →
Acts 23 verses
- Acts 2:21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
- Acts 2:37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Read Acts 2 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.