Acts 22:21
in Acts 22Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.
KJV
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
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This verse in Acts 22
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd he said unto me, depart,.... At once from Jerusalem, and out of the land of Judea: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles; to the nations afar off, even as far as Illyricum, Pannonia, or Hungary, where the apostle went and preached, Rom 15:19 and so by a divine mission and commission he became the apostle of the Gentiles, and preached the Gospel among them with great success, to the conversion of many thousands of them, and to the planting of many churches in the midst of them.
This site's exposition
far away to the Gentiles
The Lord’s words, I will send you far away to the Gentiles, end Paul’s hearing. The crowd had borne his credentials, his zeal and even his vision, but not a commission to the nations spoken as from God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
See how he thrusts himself into danger. I came, he says, after that vision, "to Jerusalem. I was in a trance," etc. Again, this is without witness: but observe, the witness follows from the result. He said, "They will not receive thy testimony:" they did not receive it. And yet from calculations of reason the surmise should have been this, that they would assuredly receive him. For I was the man that made war upon the Christians: so that they ought to have received him. Here he establishes two things: both that they are without excuse, since they persecuted him contrary to all likelihood or calculation of reason; and, that Christ was God, as prophesying things contrary to expectation, and as not looking to past things, but fore-knowing the things to come.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Galled consciences kick at the least touch; and those who are resolved not to be rules by reason commonly resolve not to hear it if they can help it. And the spirit of enmity against the gospel of Christ commonly shows itself in silencing the ministers of Christ and his gospel, and stopping their mouths, as the Jews did Paul's here.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And he said unto me, Depart - Because the Christians at Jerusalem would not receive him. Far hence - Paul traveled far in the pagan nations. A large part of his ministry was spent in remote countries, and in the most distant regions then known. See Rom 15:19.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
depart for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles--that is, "Enough; thy testimony is not to be thrown away upon Jerusalem; the Gentiles, afar off, are thy peculiar sphere." 22, 23. gave him audience to this word . . . then . . .
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles - This was the particular appointment of St. Paul: he was the apostle of the Gentiles; for, though he preached frequently to the Jews, yet to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, and to write for the conversion and establishment of the Gentile world, were his peculiar destination. Hence we find him and his companions travelling every where; through Judea, Phoenicia, Arabia, Syria, Cilicia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, Pamphylia, Galatia, Phrygia, Macedonia, Greece, Asia, the Isles of the Mediterranean Sea, the Isles of the Aegean Sea, Italy, and some add Spain and even Britain. This was the diocess of this primitive bishop: none of the apostles traveled, none preached, none labored as this man; and, we may add, none was so greatly owned of God. The epistles of Peter, John, James, and Jude, are great and excellent; but, when compared with those of Paul, however glorious they may be, they have no glory comparatively, by reason of that glory which excelleth. Next to Jesus Christ, St. Paul is the glory of the Christian Church. Jesus is the foundation; Paul, the master-builder.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | He said | G2036 → | 925 times |
| πρός | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| με· | me | me; | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πορεύου, | poreuou | do go, | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | for | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἔθνη | ethne | [the] Gentiles | G1484 → | 161 times |
| μακρὰν | makran | far away | G3112 → | 10 times |
| ἐξαποστελῶ | exapostelo | will send | G1821 → | 12 times |
| σε.¶ | se | you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἶπενHe said
eipenG2036 →925 times
πρόςto
prosG4314 →700 times
με·me;
meG3165 →1936 times
πορεύου,do go,
poreuouG4198 →147 times
ὅτιfor
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἔθνη[the] Gentiles
ethneG1484 →161 times
μακρὰνfar away
makranG3112 →10 times
ἐξαποστελῶwill send
exaposteloG1821 →12 times
σε.¶you.
seG4771 →2973 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 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.
it leads to
- Ephesians 3:7–8
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 11:13
I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Galatians 1:15–16
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- 2 Timothy 4:16–17
At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.
- Acts 26:17–20
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
- Ephesians 3:7–8
Through
1 Timothy 2:7For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.
it leads to
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 1:11
to which I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 9:1
I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 9:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
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 (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.