Acts 22:1
in Acts 22“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.
KJV
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
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This verse in Acts 22
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe expression "fathers" is a sign of respect, and the expression "brethren" is an indication of kinship. Notice, his speech is both free from flattery and full of gentleness. He did not say "lords," but "brothers," which was especially pleasing to the people. I am …
This site's exposition
hear ye my defence
on Acts 22:1-2
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you: Paul opens with a respectful address, honoring the crowd’s own dignity even as it howls for his death moments before. When they heard him speak in the Hebrew tongue they kept the more silence, the language itself a bridge Paul builds before he says a single word of substance, since a crowd that expected a hellenized traitor hears instead a son of their own tongue. The speech that follows is the first of five defenses running through chapter twenty six, and the only one addressed to a Jewish crowd rather than to Roman officials.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"He spake unto them," it says, "in the Hebrew tongue, saying, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you." Mark his address, at once so free from all flattery, and so expressive of meekness. For he says not, "Masters," nor "Lords," but, "Brethren," just the word they most liked: "I am no alien from you," he says, nor "against you." "Men," he says, "brethren, and fathers:" this, a term of honor, that of kindred. "Hear ye," says he, "my" - he says not, "teaching," nor "harangue," but, "my defence which I now make unto you." He puts himself in the posture of a suppliant.
"Men, brethren, hear ye the account which I now give unto you," etc. Paul, being inclined to simplicity of heart, told the people, in order, how he had been chosen by the Lord when he was a persecutor of the church; he did not even …
The Reformation1 voice
Men, brethren, and fathers. It is a wonder that he giveth so great honor yet to the desperate enemies of the gospel, for they had broken all bond of brotherly fellowship, and by oppressing the glory of God, had spoiled themselves of all titles of dignity.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
5 ), and, though this did by no means justify their rage, yet it enabled those that prayed, Father, forgive them, to plead, as Christ did, For they know not what they do. And when Paul owns that he had been zealous for God in the law of Moses, as they were this day, he intimates his hope that they might be zealous for God, in Christ, as he was this day.
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Men, brethren, and fathers,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Men, brethren, and fathers - This defense was addressed to the Jews, and Paul commenced it with an expression of sincere respect for them. Stephen began his defense with the same form of address. See the notes on Act 7:2. My defence - Against the charges brought against me. Those charges were, that he had endeavored to prejudice people everywhere against the Jews, the Law, and the temple, Act 21:
Men, brethren, and fathers - A Hebrew form of expression for brethren and fathers: for two classes only are addressed. See the note on Act 7:2. Hear ye my defense - Μου της απολογιας, This apology of mine; in this sense the word apology was anciently understood: hence the Apologies of the primitive fathers, i.e. their defenses of the Christian religion. And this is as proper literal meaning; but it is now used only as implying an excuse for improper conduct. That this is an abuse of the term requires no proof.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἄνδρες | andres | Men | G435 → | 216 times |
| ἀδελφοὶ | adelphoi | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πατέρες, | pateres | fathers, | G3962 → | 410 times |
| ἀκούσατέ | akousate | do hear | G191 → | 425 times |
| μου | mou | of me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| νυνὶ | nuni | now | G3570 → | |
| ἀπολογίας. | apologias | defense. | G627 → |
ἌνδρεςMen
andresG435 →216 times
ἀδελφοὶbrothers
adelphoiG80 →343 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πατέρες,fathers,
pateresG3962 →410 times
ἀκούσατέdo hear
akousateG191 →425 times
μουof me
mouG3165 →1936 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
νυνὶnow
nuniG3570 →
ἀπολογίας.defense.
apologiasG627 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 23:1Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
it leads to
- Acts 24:16
In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.
- 2 Timothy 1:3
I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as did my forefathers, as I constantly remember you night and day in my prayers.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12
And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom,…
- Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
- Acts 24:16
Through
2 Timothy 4:16At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
it leads to
- Acts 7:60
Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
- Acts 7:60
Through
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,
it leads to
- Genesis 11:31
And Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai the wife of Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan.…
- Genesis 11:31
Through
Acts 13:26Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
it leads to
- Luke 1:77
to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
- Colossians 1:5
the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel
- Luke 1:77
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles; J. A. Alexander, Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 47; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.