Acts 22
Paul's Defense Before the Crowd
1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. Parallel theme: Acts 7:2
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. Word: Acts 5:34, 21:20, Deuteronomy 33:3, Luke 10:39. Parallel theme: Acts 6:9, 9:11, 21:39, 26:5, 2 Kings 4:38, 2 Corinthians 11:22 +5
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. Parallel theme: Revelation 1:16
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Parallel theme: Jeremiah 2:9, Matthew 25:45
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. References Jesus: Acts 6:14, 26:9
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, Word: Acts 10:22. Good: 3 John 1:12. Parallel theme: Acts 6:3
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The GodGod: Θεός (Theos). The Greek Theos (Θεός) refers to deity, used both for the one true God and false gods. Context determines whether it denotes the Father specifically or the Godhead generally. of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. Righteousness: Acts 7:52, 1 John 2:1. Parallel theme: Acts 9:15, 9:17, 26:16, 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:8, Galatians 1:12 +3
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. Witness: Acts 1:8, 23:11, John 15:27. Parallel theme: Acts 4:20
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Resurrection: 1 Peter 3:21. References Lord: Acts 2:21, 1 Corinthians 6:11. Sin: Acts 2:38. Baptism: 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27. Parallel theme: Acts 9:14, Psalms 119:60, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 10:22 +5
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. Parallel theme: Matthew 10:14, 10:23, Luke 21:21
19 And I said, LordLord: Κύριος (Kurios). The Greek Kurios (Κύριος) means 'lord' or 'master,' used both for human masters and divinely for God the Father and Jesus Christ. Its application to Jesus affirms His deity, as it translates YHWH in the Septuagint., they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 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. Parallel theme: Acts 7:58, 8:1, Romans 1:32, Revelation 2:13
21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Paul and the Roman Tribune
22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. Parallel theme: Acts 21:36, 25:24
23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. References Paul: Acts 21:11, 26:29. Parallel theme: Acts 5:21, 21:33, 22:5, 23:15, 23:28 +2