American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Acts 22
1
Men, brothers, and fathers, hear you my defense which I make now to you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 7:2
2
(And when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he said,)
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 21:40
3
I am truly 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 you all are this day.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 9:11
Acts 26:5
Acts 21:39
2 Corinthians 11:22
2 Kings 4:38
Acts 6:9
Word
Acts 5:34
Acts 21:20
Deuteronomy 33:3
Luke 10:39
4
And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5
As also the high priest does bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound to Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Reference
6
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come near to Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 1:16
7
And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me?
Reference
8
And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.
Reference
9
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.
Reference
10
And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 16:30
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 dwelled there,
Reference
13
Came to me, and stood, and said to me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked up on him.
14
And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see that Just One, and should hear the voice of his mouth.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 26:16
1 Corinthians 9:1
1 Corinthians 15:8
Galatians 1:12
Acts 9:17
Acts 9:15
Righteousness
Acts 7:52
1 John 2:1
16
And now why tarry you? arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Reference
Baptism
1 Corinthians 12:13
Galatians 3:27
Parallel theme
Titus 3:5
Hebrews 10:22
Psalm 119:60
Acts 9:14
References Lord
Acts 2:21
1 Corinthians 6:11
Resurrection
1 Peter 3:21
Sin
Acts 2:38
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 to me, Make haste, and get you quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.
Reference
19
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on you:
Reference
20
And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
Reference
22
And they gave him audience to 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.
Reference
23
And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 16:13
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 why they cried so against him.
Reference
25
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to whip a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
Reference
26
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what you do: for this man is a Roman.
27
Then the chief captain came, and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, Yes.
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 21:33
30
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty why 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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 23:28
Acts 21:33
Acts 23:15
Acts 22:5
Acts 5:21
References Paul
Acts 21:11
Acts 26:29
Summary of Acts 22
Acts 22 records Paul's defense before the angry crowd in Jerusalem, as he explains his Jewish background, his former persecution of Christians, his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and his calling to preach to the Gentiles.
Paul begins by speaking respectfully to the crowd in their own language, which immediately makes them quieter and more willing to listen.
He explains that he was born in Tarsus of Cilicia but raised in Jerusalem and educated under Gamaliel, one of the respected Jewish teachers of his time, and he emphasizes that he once followed Jewish traditions very seriously.
Paul then openly describes his former hatred of Christianity, explaining that he arrested and imprisoned followers of Jesus and even supported the death of Stephen, showing that he has no reason to hide the seriousness of his past.
He explains that while traveling to Damascus to arrest more Christians, he was suddenly surrounded by a bright heavenly light and heard Jesus asking why he was being persecuted.
Paul realizes that Jesus is alive and that his persecution of Christians has actually been opposition to Jesus Himself.
After the encounter, Paul becomes temporarily blind and has to be led into Damascus, where a believer named Ananias comes to him.
Ananias helps Paul regain his sight and explains that God has chosen him to know His will, see Jesus, hear His voice, and become a witness to people throughout the world.
Paul is baptized and begins a completely new life, moving from persecuting Christians to becoming one of Christianity's most important messengers.
Paul then explains that he once returned to Jerusalem and received a vision in the temple in which Jesus warned him that the people of Jerusalem would not accept his testimony.
When Paul explains that Jesus eventually sent him far away to the Gentiles, the crowd becomes furious and begins demanding his death.
This reaction shows that the question of Gentiles becoming part of God's people without becoming fully Jewish was one of the most sensitive issues in the early Christian movement.
The Roman commander orders Paul to be taken into the barracks and prepared for interrogation by flogging, but Paul reveals that he is a Roman citizen and asks whether it is legal to punish a Roman citizen without a trial.
The soldiers immediately stop because Roman citizenship provided important legal protections.
The commander is surprised because he had purchased his citizenship for a large amount of money, while Paul explains that he was born a Roman citizen, making Paul's legal position even stronger.
The commander becomes afraid because he had ordered Paul to be bound, and the next day he brings Paul before the Jewish council so that he can determine exactly what Paul has been accused of doing.
The central message of Acts 22 is that God can completely transform a person's life and use even a painful past as part of that person's testimony.
Paul does not hide the fact that he once persecuted Christians; instead, he uses that history to explain how dramatically his encounter with Jesus changed him.
The chapter also shows that Paul's mission to the Gentiles was not a rejection of his Jewish background, because he repeatedly explains his Jewish education, traditions, and respect for the God of Israel.
At the same time, Paul understands that his calling is to take the message of Jesus beyond the Jewish community and to people throughout the Roman world.
Historically, Paul's Roman citizenship becomes extremely important in Acts because Roman citizens had legal rights that non-citizens did not have, including protection from certain forms of punishment without proper legal procedure.
The chapter also gives valuable information about Gamaliel, who was a respected Jewish teacher, and about Paul's education in Jerusalem, helping explain why Paul was able to communicate effectively with both Jewish religious leaders and people throughout the Greek-speaking Roman world.
Acts 22 therefore presents Paul as a man standing between several worlds: he is Jewish by birth and education, a follower of Jesus by faith, a missionary to Gentiles by calling, and a Roman citizen protected by Roman law.
His testimony shows that the Gospel has transformed him from someone who tried to destroy the Christian movement into someone willing to suffer and even die for the message he once opposed.
Paul begins by speaking respectfully to the crowd in their own language, which immediately makes them quieter and more willing to listen.
He explains that he was born in Tarsus of Cilicia but raised in Jerusalem and educated under Gamaliel, one of the respected Jewish teachers of his time, and he emphasizes that he once followed Jewish traditions very seriously.
Paul then openly describes his former hatred of Christianity, explaining that he arrested and imprisoned followers of Jesus and even supported the death of Stephen, showing that he has no reason to hide the seriousness of his past.
He explains that while traveling to Damascus to arrest more Christians, he was suddenly surrounded by a bright heavenly light and heard Jesus asking why he was being persecuted.
Paul realizes that Jesus is alive and that his persecution of Christians has actually been opposition to Jesus Himself.
After the encounter, Paul becomes temporarily blind and has to be led into Damascus, where a believer named Ananias comes to him.
Ananias helps Paul regain his sight and explains that God has chosen him to know His will, see Jesus, hear His voice, and become a witness to people throughout the world.
Paul is baptized and begins a completely new life, moving from persecuting Christians to becoming one of Christianity's most important messengers.
Paul then explains that he once returned to Jerusalem and received a vision in the temple in which Jesus warned him that the people of Jerusalem would not accept his testimony.
When Paul explains that Jesus eventually sent him far away to the Gentiles, the crowd becomes furious and begins demanding his death.
This reaction shows that the question of Gentiles becoming part of God's people without becoming fully Jewish was one of the most sensitive issues in the early Christian movement.
The Roman commander orders Paul to be taken into the barracks and prepared for interrogation by flogging, but Paul reveals that he is a Roman citizen and asks whether it is legal to punish a Roman citizen without a trial.
The soldiers immediately stop because Roman citizenship provided important legal protections.
The commander is surprised because he had purchased his citizenship for a large amount of money, while Paul explains that he was born a Roman citizen, making Paul's legal position even stronger.
The commander becomes afraid because he had ordered Paul to be bound, and the next day he brings Paul before the Jewish council so that he can determine exactly what Paul has been accused of doing.
The central message of Acts 22 is that God can completely transform a person's life and use even a painful past as part of that person's testimony.
Paul does not hide the fact that he once persecuted Christians; instead, he uses that history to explain how dramatically his encounter with Jesus changed him.
The chapter also shows that Paul's mission to the Gentiles was not a rejection of his Jewish background, because he repeatedly explains his Jewish education, traditions, and respect for the God of Israel.
At the same time, Paul understands that his calling is to take the message of Jesus beyond the Jewish community and to people throughout the Roman world.
Historically, Paul's Roman citizenship becomes extremely important in Acts because Roman citizens had legal rights that non-citizens did not have, including protection from certain forms of punishment without proper legal procedure.
The chapter also gives valuable information about Gamaliel, who was a respected Jewish teacher, and about Paul's education in Jerusalem, helping explain why Paul was able to communicate effectively with both Jewish religious leaders and people throughout the Greek-speaking Roman world.
Acts 22 therefore presents Paul as a man standing between several worlds: he is Jewish by birth and education, a follower of Jesus by faith, a missionary to Gentiles by calling, and a Roman citizen protected by Roman law.
His testimony shows that the Gospel has transformed him from someone who tried to destroy the Christian movement into someone willing to suffer and even die for the message he once opposed.