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Acts 22:19

in Acts 22

‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

KJV

And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

⋯

This verse in Acts 22

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

Why did he say "it is known to them?" He said this not contradicting Christ, but wishing to understand such an incomprehensible thing. But Christ did not explain it to him, and only told him to go.

This site's exposition

imprisoned and beat those who believed

on Acts 22:19-20

Paul recalls standing by when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, watching over the garments of those who killed him. The Greek word behind witness keeps its root sense here, before it came to mean one killed for the faith.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 48 · Written before 407.

proposed

But why said he "They know I imprisoned?" Not to gainsay Christ, but because he wished to learn this which was so contrary to all reasonable expectation. Christ, however, did not teach him this, but only bade him depart, and he obeys: so obedient is he.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 48 · Written before 407.

proposed

"And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen," etc. See where again his discourse terminates, namely, in the forcible main point: that it was he that persecuted, and not only persecuted but killed, nay, had he ten thousand hands would have used them all to kill Stephen. He reminded them of the murderous spirit heinously indulged by him and them. Then of course above all they would not endure him, since this convicted them; and truly the prophecy was having its fulfilment: great the zeal, vehement the accusation, and the Jews themselves witnesses of the truth of Christ!

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

And I said, Lord, they know, that I imprisoned,.... Men and women, that made a profession of the Christian religion, Act 8:3 and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee; in Jerusalem there were many synagogues, and in these scourging and beating of offenders were used; See Gill on Mat 10:17.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Now "Lord," says he, "if I appear among them, preaching the doctrine that Stephen preached and suffered for, they will no doubt receive my testimony." "No," says Christ to him, "they will not; but will be more exasperated against thee as a deserter from, than against others whom they look upon only as strangers to, their constitution." 5.

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

proposed

And I said - It is not easy for a servant of Christ, who is himself deeply impressed with Divine truths, to imagine to what a degree men are capable of hardening their hearts against thee.
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

And I said, Lord - This shows that it was the Lord Jesus whom Paul saw in a trance in the temple. The term “Lord” is usually applied to him in the Acts . See the notes on Act 1:24. They know - Christians know; and they will therefore be not likely to receive to their fellowship their former enemy and persecutor. Beat in every synagogue - Beating, or scourging, was often done in the synagogue. See the notes on Mat 10:17. Compare Act 26:

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

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.

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A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue - This shows what an active instrument Saul of Tarsus was, in the hands of this persecuting priesthood, and how very generally the followers of Christ were persecuted, and how difficult it was at this time to profess Christianity.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Acts 22:4I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,6 worksMatthew 10:17But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.5 worksActs 8:3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.4 worksActs 26:11I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.4 worksActs 9:1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest3 worksActs 26:9–12So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.2 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
Acts 21:32Immediately he took some soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.2 worksActs 6:9But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They began to argue with Stephen,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 9:1

    Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest

    it leads to

    • 1 Timothy 1:13

      I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Galatians 1:13

      For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 1 Corinthians 15:9

      For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

    • Acts 8:3

      But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

    • Acts 9:11–21

      “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.

  • Through

    Matthew 10:17

    But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.

    it leads to

    • Mark 13:9

      So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.

    • Matthew 23:34

      Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after…

  • Through

    Acts 8:3

    But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

    it leads to

    • Philippians 3:6

      as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 22 →
This page draws on 9 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 48; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.

Read on in Acts 22 →