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Acts 22:20

in Acts 22

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.’

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.

KJV

And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

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This verse in Acts 22

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

"And when the blood of Stephen was being shed." He reminded them of one cruel murder, when Stephen was reproving them at that time, and they could not endure it.

This site's exposition

imprisoned and beat in every synagogue

on Acts 22:19-20

Paul protests to the Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee, and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, consenting unto his death, and keeping the raiment of them that slew him. His own argument, that surely his former zeal would carry weight with this crowd once they learn Christ sent him away despite it, reveals a man still reasoning as a Jew with his own people even while recounting a heavenly vision. The word martyr here carries its root sense of witness before it hardened into the later technical meaning of one killed for the faith, Stephen the first to give that witness with his life.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 48 · Written in the 5th century.

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 in the 5th century.

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

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by - A real convert still retains the remembrance of his former sins. He confesses thorn and is humbled for them, all the days of his life.

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.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed,....
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed - See on Act 7:58 (note); Act 8:1 (note). All these things Paul alleged as reasons why he could not expect to be received by the Christians; for how could they suppose that such a persecutor could be converted?

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.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

The blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed - See Act 7:58; Act 8:1. I also was standing by - Act 7:58. And consenting unto his death - Act 8:1. And kept the raiment - The outer robes or garments, which were usually laid aside when they engaged in running or labor. See Act 7:58. All this showed that, though Paul was not engaged in stoning Stephen, yet he was with them in spirit, and fully accorded with what they did. These circumstances are mentioned here by him as reasons why he knew that he would not be received by Christians as one of their number, and why it was necessary, therefore, for him to turn to the Gentile world.

The words behind it

22 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

9 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.

Romans 1:32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.9 worksActs 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.7 worksActs 8:1And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.7 worksRevelation 2:13I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits. Yet you have held fast to My name and have not denied your faith in Me, even in the day when My faithful witness Antipas was killed among you, where Satan dwells.4 worksRevelation 17:6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.4 worksLuke 11:49Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’3 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Luke 11:48So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.2 worksActs 26:10And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.2 worksActs 14:19Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.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

    Romans 1:32

    Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

    it leads to

    • Romans 2:1–5

      You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

    • Romans 1:21

      For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

    • Romans 6:21

      What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.

    • Psalms 50:18

      When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers.

    • Romans 1:18

      The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

  • Through

    Revelation 17:6

    I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 16:6

      For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”

  • Through

    Revelation 2:13

    I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits. Yet you have held fast to My name and have not denied your faith in Me, even in the day when My faithful…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 2:9–10

      I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.

  • Through

    Acts 8:1

    And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

    it leads to

    • Daniel 3:16–18

      Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. 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 →