Acts 22:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

NIV: 'Lord,' I replied, 'these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you.

NASB: And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.

CSB: "But I said, 'Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in you imprisoned and beaten.

NLT: ‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

KJV: And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

NKJV: So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

These verses are a bit complicated because they involve three different time periods.

The present is shortly after Paul returns to Jerusalem from his third missionary journey. Because of two different false accusations (Acts 21:20–21, 27–29), he finds himself defending his friendship with a Gentile to a murderous mob (Acts 21:30–31, 37–40).

During his defense, Paul talks about an event that happened decades before. While traveling to Damascus to hunt Jesus-followers, he met Jesus (Acts 9:3–19; 22:6–16). A several years later, he came back to Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–30). Upon his return, he went to the temple to pray. There, Jesus told him the Jews of the city would rather kill him than listen to his teaching about reconciliation with God through the Messiah (Acts 22:17–18).

Paul responded to Jesus by reminding Him of his past persecution of the church, including Stephen, the first martyr (Acts 7:54–60; 22:20). Paul seemed to think that his former violence validated his message of God's forgiveness. Jesus told him it didn't, but it did open an opportunity for Paul to present that message to Gentiles (Acts 22:21).

Back to the present: when Paul mentions his mission to Gentiles, the mob remembers that they're angry. They call for Paul's arrest, and the Roman tribune takes him away (Acts 22:22–24).

Acts 22:17–22 comes after a mob has accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple. He did not, but he has traveled to Jerusalem with them. He's trying to explain how years ago, Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus and not only saved him but selected him. Paul's new role was to bring that same message of forgiveness to the Gentiles, including the man seen with Paul in the city. The crowd rejects Paul's explanation, the Romans arrest him, and he stays under house arrest for five years. Paul's conversion experience is described in Acts 9:1–19 and he repeats his story in Acts 26:12–18.

In Acts 22, a young Roman military officer realizes he cannot control Jews who do not wish to be controlled. He has just rescued Paul from a crowd that largely doesn't know why they want to kill Paul. In hopes of gathering information, the tribune allows Paul to speak to the crowd. The crowd listens only briefly, then explodes again. The tribune tries flogging but is foiled by Paul's Roman citizenship. Finally, the tribune schedules a meeting with the Sanhedrin. It does not go well (Acts 23:1–10).

Paul came to Jerusalem to tell the church of his ministry's success with Gentiles. The leaders are more worried about a rumor that Paul no longer respects the Jewish law. Paul agrees to perform a very Jewish ritual, but in the process is falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple. A mob assaults him, and the Roman tribune arrests him (Acts 21:17–36). The tribune tries to uncover the truth by letting Paul speak to the crowd, then almost flogging him (Acts 21:37—22). Next, he will bring Paul to the Sanhedrin, to no avail (Acts 23:1–10).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.