Acts 22:8
in Acts 22‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
KJV
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
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This verse in Acts 22
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut again, we allege the same against those who do not recognise Paul as an apostle: that they should either reject the other words of the Gospel which we have come to know through Luke alone, and not make use of them; or else, if they do receive all these, they must necessarily admit also that testimony concerning Paul, when he (Luke) tells us that the Lord spoke at first to him from heaven: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?
This site's exposition
a bright light from heaven
on Acts 22:6-8
The voice says, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me, and the speaker names himself Jesus of Nazareth. The doubled name is the form of address the Old Testament records for Abraham, Moses, and Samuel.
This site's exposition
Jesus of Nazareth
John Chrysostom observes that the town’s name is added so the crowd would know exactly who had spoken. Matthew Henry notes that faith comes by hearing, and the words were spoken to Saul himself. The change in him came with them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.12 · Written before 253.
proposed
It ought not to be forgotten that in such a Gospel as this there is embraced every good deed that was done to Jesus; as, for example, the story of the woman who had been a prostitute and had repented, and who, having experienced a genuine recovery from her evil state, had grace to pour her ointment over Jesus so that every one in the house smelled the sweet savor. Hence, too, the words, "Wherever this gospel shall be preached among all the nations, there also this that she has done shall be spoken of, for a memorial of her." And it is clear that whatever is done to the disciples of Jesus is done to him. Pointing to those of them who met with kind treatment, [Jesus] says to those who were kind to them: "What you did to these, you did to me." So that every good deed we do to our neighbors is entered into the gospel, that gospel that is written on the heavenly tablets and read by all who are worthy of the knowledge of the whole of things. But on the other side, too, there is a part of the gospel that is for the condemnation of the doers of the evil deeds that have been done to Jesus. The treachery of Judas and the shouts of the wicked crowd when it said, "Away with such a one from the earth," and "Crucify him, crucify him," the mockings of those who crowned him with thorns, and everything of that kind, is included in all the Gospels. And as a consequence of this we see that everyone who betrays the disciples of Jesus is reckoned as betraying Jesus himself. To Saul, when still a persecutor it is said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" and, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." There are those who still have thorns with which they crown and dishonor Jesus, those, namely, who are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and though they have received the word of God, they do not bring it to perfection. […]
"And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And I answered, Who are Thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou persecutest." Well is the name of the city (Nazareth) also added, that they might recognize the Person: moreover, the Apostles also spoke thus. And Himself bore witness, that they were persecuting Him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Now faith comes by hearing, and therefore that change was now presently wrought upon him that heard the words, and heard them directed to himself, which was not wrought upon those who only saw the light; and yet it might afterwards be wrought upon them too.
And I answered, who art thou, Lord?.... See Gill on Act 9:5.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀπεκρίθην· | apekrithen | answered; | G611 → | 231 times |
| τίς | tis | Who | G5101 → | 563 times |
| εἶ | ei | are You | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| κύριε; | kurie | Lord? | G2962 → | 711 times |
| εἶπέν | eipen | He said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| πρός | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| με· | me | me; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐγώ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| εἰμι | eimi | am | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| Ἰησοῦς | iesous | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ναζωραῖος | nazoraios | of Nazareth | G3480 → | 13 times |
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| σὺ | su | you yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| διώκεις. | diokeis | are persecuting. | G1377 → | 45 times |
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀπεκρίθην·answered;
apekrithenG611 →231 times
τίςWho
tisG5101 →563 times
εἶare You
eiG1510 →2333 times
κύριε;Lord?
kurieG2962 →711 times
εἶπένHe said
eipenG2036 →925 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
πρόςto
prosG4314 →700 times
με·me;
meG3165 →1936 times
ἐγώI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
εἰμιam
eimiG1510 →2333 times
ἸησοῦςJesus
iesousG2424 →908 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Ναζωραῖοςof Nazareth
nazoraiosG3480 →13 times
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
σὺyou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
διώκεις.are persecuting.
diokeisG1377 →45 times
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 3:6But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
it leads to
- Acts 3:16
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this…
- Acts 4:10
then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from…
- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
- Acts 9:34
“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up,
- Acts 16:18
She continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And…
- Acts 3:16
Through
Zechariah 2:8For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
it leads to
- Psalms 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings
- Deuteronomy 32:10
He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
- John 15:21–23
But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.
- Psalms 17:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book III; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 47; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.12.