Acts 22:4
in Acts 22I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
KJV
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
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This verse in Acts 22
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"A zealot," he says. Since Paul had already spoken many praises of himself, he summarizes: "As you all are today." But pay attention to how many witnesses he appeals to: both the elders, and the high priest, and the citizens. Up to this point he …
This site's exposition
I persecuted this Way
on Acts 22:4-5
Paul confesses that he persecuted this Way even to the death, throwing both men and women into prison. He calls the high priest and the whole Council as witnesses, since he obtained letters from them for his mission to Damascus.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He brings forward as witnesses the high priest and the elders. On the one hand, [Paul] makes himself their equal when he says, "I being a zealot just as you," but then he shows through his deeds that he was a greater zealot than they. "I wasn't waiting around," he says, "to arrest them, but I was even stirring up the priests and being sent abroad. And I wasn't after just men, as you are, but I sought out women too, put them in chains and even threw them into prison." This is irrefutable testimony. His Jewish credentials could not be disputed. Count the witnesses he brings forward: the body of elders, the high priest, those in the city. Note how his defense is not fearful but instructive rather and educational. Had his audience not been stone, they would have given heed to his words.
Then he brings forward proofs also, saying, "and I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders." "How does this appear?" As witnesses he brings forward the high-priest himself and the elders. He says indeed, "Being a zealot, as ye:" but he shows by his actions, that he went beyond them. "For I did not wait for an opportunity of seizing them: I both stirred up the priests, and undertook journeys: I did not confine my attacks, as ye did, to men, I extended them to women also: both binding, and casting into prisons both men and women." This testimony is incontrovertible; the unbelief of the Jews is left without excuse. See how many witnesses he brings forward, the elders, the high-priest, and those in the city. Observe his defence, how it is not of cowardly fear for himself, that he pleads, no, but for teaching and indoctrination. For had not the hearers been stones, they would have felt the force of what he was saying. For up to this point he had themselves as witnesses.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And persecuted this way - With the same zeal that you do now. Binding both men and women - How much better was his condition, now he was bound himself.
And perhaps he mentions it to justify God in his present trouble; how unrighteous soever those were that persecuted him, God was righteous, who permitted them to do it, for time was when he was a persecutor; and he may have a further view in it to invite and encourage those people to repent, for he himself had been a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and yet obtained mercy.
And I persecuted this way unto the death,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
I persecuted this way - Ταυτην την ὁδον; This doctrine, the way of worshipping God, and arriving at a state of blessedness. See on Act 9:2 (note). Binding and delivering into prisons - See on Act 8:3 (note); Act 9:2 (note).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I persecuted - Act 8:3. This way - Those who were of this mode of worshipping God; that is, Christians. See the notes on Act 9:2. Unto the death - Intending to put them to death. He did not probably put any to death himself, but he committed them to prison; he sought their lives; he was the agent employed in arresting them; and when they were put to death, he tells us that he gave his voice against them Act 26:10; that is, he joined in, and approved of their condemnation. Delivering into prisons ... - Act 8:3.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ταύτην | tauten | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁδὸν | hodon | Way | G3598 → | 101 times |
| ἐδίωξα | edioxa | persecuted | G1377 → | 45 times |
| ἄχρι | achri | as far as | G891 → | 48 times |
| θανάτου | thanatou | death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| δεσμεύων | desmeuon | binding | G1195 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παραδιδοὺς | paradidous | betraying | G3860 → | 119 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| φυλακὰς | phulakas | prisons | G5438 → | 47 times |
| ἄνδρας | andras | men | G435 → | 216 times |
| τε | te | both | G5037 → | 213 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| γυναῖκας, | gunaikas | women, | G1135 → | 211 times |
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ταύτηνthis
tautenG3778 →1381 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὁδὸνWay
hodonG3598 →101 times
ἐδίωξαpersecuted
edioxaG1377 →45 times
ἄχριas far as
achriG891 →48 times
θανάτουdeath
thanatouG2288 →120 times
δεσμεύωνbinding
desmeuonG1195 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παραδιδοὺςbetraying
paradidousG3860 →119 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
φυλακὰςprisons
phulakasG5438 →47 times
ἄνδραςmen
andrasG435 →216 times
τεboth
teG5037 →213 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
γυναῖκας,women,
gunaikasG1135 →211 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
1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
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.
- 1 Timothy 1:13–15
I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
- 2 Corinthians 12:11
I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
- 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.
- Ephesians 3:7–8
Through
Acts 16:17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
it leads to
- John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- 1 Peter 2:16
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
- Mark 5:7
And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”
- Daniel 6:20
When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the…
- John 14:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
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); John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 22.4-5; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 47; 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.