Acts 22

1 “Brothers [fellow believers] and fathers [male ancestors, paternal figures], listen now [give ear, pay attention] to my defense [apologia, a formal plea] before you [in your presence, towards you].” word study 2 When they heard [with understanding and obedience] him speak to them in [the Hebrew language, Aramaic] Hebrew, they became even more [quiet and still, in an attitude of reverence] silent. Then [at that point, next] Paul declared [spoke openly, asserted], word study 3 “I am a Jew [a person from Judah, of Hebrew descent], born in Tarsus [a city in Cilicia, a Roman province] of Cilicia, but raised [brought up, educated] in this city. I was educated [instructed, trained] at the feet of Gamaliel [a respected Pharisee, a Jewish teacher] in strict conformity [exactness, strictness] to the law [the Torah, God’s instructions] of our fathers. I am just as zealous [passionate, devoted] for God [the one true deity, the Almighty] as any of you here today [in this present time, at this moment]. word study 4 I persecuted [pursued with hostility, made attacks on] this Way [the path of Jesus, the Christian faith] even to [until, up to the point of] the death [physical or spiritual, eternal separation from God], detaining [binding, taking into custody] both men [adult males, husbands] and women [wives, females] and throwing [delivering, surrendering] them into prison [a place of confinement, a guard or watch], word study 5 as the high priest [chief religious leader] and the whole Council [council of elders, Sanhedrin] can testify about me. I even obtained letters [written authorization, epistles] from them to their brothers [fellow Jews, brethren] in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend [seize, arrest] these people and bring them to Jerusalem [the holy city] to be punished [disciplined, avenged]. word study 6 About [at the middle of the day, midday] noon as I was approaching [coming near to, drawing close to] Damascus, suddenly [without warning, unexpectedly] a bright [great, shining] light from [out of, originating in] heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place] flashed [shone, appeared] around [about, surrounding] me. word study 7 I fell [collapsed] to the ground and heard [listened to, obeyed] a voice [sound, noise] say to me, ‘Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul], Saul, why do you [cruelly, with hostility] persecute [pursue, follow] Me [the Messiah, Jesus]?’ word study 8 ‘Who are You, Lord [a title of respect and authority]?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] of Nazareth [a city in Galilee, associated with the Messiah], whom you are persecuting [pursuing with hostile intent],’ He replied. word study 9 My companions [those traveling with me, who were with me] saw the light [a brilliant radiance, divine illumination], but they could not understand [did not comprehend, were unable to grasp] the voice [sound, spoken words] of the One [Him who, the Lord] speaking to me [talking to, addressing me directly]. word study 10 Then I asked, ‘What [which thing, what action] should I do, Lord [master and God]?’ ‘Get up [arise, stand up] and go into Damascus [the city, a place of spiritual encounter],’ He told me. ‘There [in that place, at that time] you will be told [informed, instructed] all that you have been appointed [assigned, ordained] to do [accomplish, fulfill].’ word study 11 Because the brilliance [intense radiance, glory] of the light [divine illumination] had blinded [made unable to see, caused loss of sight] me, my companions [those who were with me] led me by the hand [guided me] into [toward, toward the direction of] Damascus [the city]. word study 12 There a man [a devout, godly person] named Ananias [a pious, faithful], a devout observer of the law [the Mosaic law, God’s commandments] who was highly regarded [well reported, having a good reputation] by all [every single one] the Jews [people of Judah, Israelites] living [dwelling, residing] there [in that place], word study 13 came [to my side, approached me] and stood [in front of me] beside me. ‘Brother [fellow Christian, male sibling] Saul [the Jewish name of the Apostle Paul],’ he said, ‘receive [recover, regain] your sight [ability to see, vision].’ And at that moment [the same hour, instantly] I could see [look up, gaze upon] him. word study 14 Then he said, ‘The God [of our ancestors, the supreme deity] of our fathers has appointed [chosen, ordained] you to know [understand, perceive] His will [desire, purpose], and to see [behold, experience] the Righteous One [the Just, the Innocent], and to hear [listen, obey] His voice [sound, utterance]. word study 15 You [as a chosen vessel] will be His [Christ’s, the Messiah’s] witness [a testifier, one who gives evidence] to everyone [all men, every person] of what you have seen [perceived, experienced] and heard [listened to, understood, obeyed]. word study 16 And now [at this present moment] what are you waiting for [why delay, what is holding you back]? Get up [arise, stand up from your current state], be baptized [immersed in water, fully wet], and wash your sins [transgressions, missing the mark] away [cleanse, purify], calling on [invoking, appealing to] His name [character, authority, the Lord].’ word study 17 Later, when I had returned [come back, turned back] to Jerusalem [the holy city, the capital of Palestine] and was praying [worshiping, communing with God] at the temple [the sacred place, the house of God], I fell into a trance [an ecstasy, a state of amazement] word study 18 and saw the Lord [the Master, Jesus Christ] saying to me, ‘Hurry [make haste, be quick]! Leave [go out, depart] Jerusalem [the holy city] quickly [with speed, swiftly], because [for the reason that] the people here [the inhabitants, residents] will not accept [receive, welcome] your testimony [witness, declaration] about Me [concerning my person, my work].’ word study 19 ‘Lord [master and God],’ I answered, ‘they know [are fully aware, have intimate knowledge] very well that in one synagogue [gathering place, assembly] after another I imprisoned [put in jail, held captive] and beat [scourged, whipped] those who believed [trusted, had faith] in You [the Messiah, the Savior]. word study 20 And when the blood [of martyrdom, shed for faith] of Your witness [martyr, one who testifies] Stephen [a faithful disciple, full of the Holy Spirit] was shed [poured out, like a sacrifice], I stood there [in agreement, giving approval] giving my approval [consenting to his death, agreeing with the act] and watching over [guarding, keeping safe] the garments [clothing, outer robes] of those who killed [murdered, took the life of] him.’ word study 21 Then He said to me, ‘Go [Depart, Leave now]! I will send you [to be a missionary, as an apostle] far away [to a distant land, afar off] to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, foreigners, nations].’” word study 22 The crowd listened to Paul [until this very point, as far as this word] until he made this statement [this particular word, this specific message]. Then they lifted up their voices [with loud cries, in a great shout] and shouted, “Rid the earth [remove from the world, take away] of him [such a man, this person]! He is not fit [worthy, deserving] to live [have life, exist]!” word study 23 As they were [crying out, shouting loudly] shouting and throwing off [casting away, removing] their cloaks [outer garments, mantles] and tossing [throwing with force, casting] dust [pulverized earth, insignificance] into the air [the surrounding atmosphere, the breath of life], word study 24 the commander [military officer, chief captain] ordered that Paul be brought [led, taken] into the barracks [castle, army building]. He directed that Paul be flogged [scourged, whipped] and interrogated [examined, questioned] to determine the reason [cause, charge] for this outcry [shouting, crying out] against him [toward him, to him]. word study 25 But as [at the moment, when] they stretched him out [with leather straps] to [prepare for] strap him down, Paul [the Roman apostle] said to the centurion [a Roman military officer] standing [present, nearby] there, “Is it [is it permitted] lawful [allowed, justified] for you [as a Roman authority] to flog [to scourge, to whip] a Roman [a citizen of Rome] citizen [a person with Roman rights] without [prior to, before] a trial [a judgment, a condemnation]?” word study 26 On hearing [to perceive and understand] this, the centurion [a Roman military officer] went and reported [to announce, declare] it to the commander [a high-ranking military officer]. “What are you going to do [to intend, to be about to act]?” he said. “This man [a human being, a person] is a Roman [related to Rome, a citizen] citizen [having the rights and privileges of a Roman].” word study 27 The commander [military officer, chief captain] went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you [from Rome] a Roman citizen?” “Yes [verily],” he answered [affirming, declaring]. word study 28 “I paid a high [great, significant] price [sum, amount] for my citizenship [freedom, Roman rights],” said the commander [chief captain, military officer]. “But I was born [free born, a Roman from birth] a citizen [Roman, with Roman rights],” Paul [the apostle] replied. word study 29 Then those who were about to [examine, interrogate, question] interrogate Paul stepped back, and the [military officer, commander, chief captain] commander himself was alarmed [afraid, in awe] when he realized that he had put a [Roman citizen, person with Roman rights] Roman citizen in chains [bound, tied, restrained]. word study 30 The next day [on the morrow, following day] the commander, wanting [desiring, intending] to learn the real reason [certainty, truth] Paul was accused [charged, brought before the court] by the Jews [Jewish leaders, people of Judah], released [loosed, set free] him and ordered [commanded, instructed] the chief priests [high-priests, Jewish leaders] and the whole [entire, all] Sanhedrin [council, gathering of leaders] to assemble [come together, gather]. Then he brought [led, guided] Paul down [from a higher place, to a lower level] and had him stand [be present, appear] before them [in their presence, facing them]. word study