Acts / Chapter 22

Acts 22

30 verses • SBL Greek New Testament 1 tradition available

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Acts 22 contains Paul's defense speech to the Jerusalem crowd from the steps of the Antonia Fortress. Speaking in Aramaic, he recounts his Jewish credentials, his persecution of the Way, his encounter with the risen Jesus on the Damascus road, and his commission to preach to the Gentiles. The crowd listens until Paul mentions the Gentile mission, at which point they erupt again. As the Roman soldiers prepare to examine Paul by flogging, he reveals his Roman citizenship, which immediately halts the proceedings and creates a new legal situation. The commander, Claudius Lysias, arranges for Paul to appear before the Jewish council.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

This is the second of three accounts of Paul's conversion in Acts (cf. 9:1-19, 26:9-18), each tailored to its audience. Before the Jewish crowd, Paul emphasizes his impeccable Jewish credentials: trained under Gamaliel, zealous for the law, persecuting the Way. The Aramaic speech momentarily silences the mob (v. 2). The turning point is verse 21 — the word 'Gentiles' (ethne) triggers explosive fury, suggesting that the inclusion of Gentiles, not Christology, was the primary offense. Paul's Roman citizenship (acquired by birth, not purchase like the commander's) introduces the legal framework that will shape the rest of Acts.

Translation Friction

The differences between this account and the Acts 9 version of Paul's conversion (e.g., what the companions saw and heard) are well-documented. These variations likely reflect rhetorical adaptation to different audiences rather than contradictions. Ananias is described here as 'devout according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews' (v. 12) — details absent from chapter 9 but strategically relevant for this audience. We render each account as given without harmonizing.

Connections

Paul's appeal to his training under Gamaliel connects to the Gamaliel of Acts 5:34-39. The Damascus road vision echoes Old Testament theophanies (Exodus 3, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1). Paul's citation of his persecution of 'this Way' (v. 4) connects to the earliest designation for Christianity (cf. 9:2, 19:9, 23, 24:14, 22). Roman citizenship law (the lex Porcia and lex Julia) protected citizens from being bound or beaten without trial, which Paul invokes here as he did at Philippi (16:37). **Tradition comparisons:** The JST modifies this chapter (Acts 22:9): Companions' experience on the Damascus road — whether they heard the voice clarified See the [JST notes](/jst/acts).

Acts 22:1

Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας.

"Brothers and fathers, hear the defense I now make before you."

KJV Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The address 'brothers and fathers' (andres adelphoi kai pateres) mirrors Stephen's speech (7:2), creating a literary parallel between two defendants before hostile Jewish audiences. The word apologia ('defense') is a formal legal term — Paul frames his speech as a courtroom defense.
Acts 22:2

ἀκούσαντες δὲ ὅτι τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ προσεφώνει αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον παρέσχον ἡσυχίαν. καὶ φησίν·

When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. Then he said:

KJV And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The use of Aramaic (called 'the Hebrew language,' te Hebraidi dialekto) achieves its intended effect: the crowd gives Paul a deeper hearing. The comparative mallon ('more, even more') indicates that the silence deepened when they recognized the language — Paul is identifying himself as one of them.
Acts 22:3

Ἐγώ εἰμι ἀνὴρ Ἰουδαῖος, γεγεννημένος ἐν Ταρσῷ τῆς Κιλικίας, ἀνατεθραμμένος δὲ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ πεπαιδευμένος κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου, ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τοῦ θεοῦ καθὼς πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐστε σήμερον,

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but raised in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

ζηλωτής zelotes
"zealous" — zealot, one who is zealous, enthusiast

Paul identifies his pre-conversion zeal with the same zeal the crowd displays, establishing common ground before narrating his transformation.

Translator Notes

  1. Paul's self-introduction is carefully structured: birth (Tarsus), upbringing (Jerusalem), education (under Gamaliel), and character (zealous). Gamaliel was the most prominent Pharisaic teacher of the first century and grandson of Hillel. The phrase 'at the feet of' (para tous podas) describes the posture of a disciple before a rabbi. Paul's claim to be 'zealous for God' (zelotes tou theou) uses language associated with Phinehas (Numbers 25:13) and the Maccabees — the highest praise for Jewish piety.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Numbers 25:13 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Acts 22:4

ὃς ταύτην τὴν ὁδὸν ἐδίωξα ἄχρι θανάτου, δεσμεύων καὶ παραδιδοὺς εἰς φυλακὰς ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας,

I persecuted this Way to the point of death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,

KJV And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The capitalized 'Way' (hodon) is the earliest self-designation of the Christian movement (cf. 9:2, 19:9, 23, 24:14, 22). Paul's persecution extended to death sentences (achri thanatou) — Stephen's execution being the most notable example (7:58-8:1). The inclusion of 'both men and women' emphasizes the thoroughness of his persecution.
Acts 22:5

ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς μαρτυρεῖ μοι καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον· παρ' ὧν καὶ ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς Δαμασκὸν ἐπορευόμην ἄξων καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν.

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 sisters, and traveled to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound to Jerusalem, for to be punished.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul appeals to living witnesses — the high priest and the Sanhedrin — who can verify his former anti-Christian activity. The letters of authorization from the Sanhedrin to the Damascus synagogues (cf. 9:2) gave Paul quasi-official standing to extradite believers.
Acts 22:6

Ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ,

"As I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This account adds 'about noon' (peri mesembrian), absent from the chapter 9 narrative — the detail intensifies the miracle, since a light that outshines the midday sun must be extraordinary indeed (cf. 26:13). The light 'from heaven' (ek tou ouranou) marks this as a theophany.
Acts 22:7

ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι· Σαοὺλ Σαούλ, τί με διώκεις;

I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'

KJV And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The double vocative 'Saul, Saul' (Saoul Saoul) uses the Hebrew/Aramaic form of Paul's name and echoes divine addresses in the Old Testament (Genesis 22:11, 'Abraham, Abraham'; Exodus 3:4, 'Moses, Moses'). The question 'Why are you persecuting me?' identifies Christ with his persecuted church.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 22:11. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 3:4. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
Acts 22:8

ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην· Τίς εἶ, κύριε; εἶπέν τε πρὸς ἐμέ· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὃν σὺ διώκεις.

I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'

KJV And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This account specifies 'of Nazareth' (ho Nazoraios), absent from 9:5. Before a Jewish audience, the Nazarene identification is significant — it anchors the risen Lord to the historical Jesus of Nazareth whom Paul's audience would know by reputation. The emphatic 'whom you are persecuting' (hon sy diokeis) reiterates the identification of Christ with his followers.
Acts 22:9

οἱ δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ ὄντες τὸ μὲν φῶς ἐθεάσαντο τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν τοῦ λαλοῦντός μοι.

Those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. In Acts 9:7, Paul's companions 'heard the voice but saw no one.' The apparent discrepancy is best understood through the Greek verb akouo, which can mean either 'hear' (perceive sound) or 'understand' (comprehend meaning). In 9:7 they heard the sound; here they did not understand the words. The distinction parallels the crowd at Jesus' baptism in John 12:28-29.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)narrative

Companions' experience on the Damascus road — whether they heard the voice clarified

The KJV Acts 22:9 states Paul's companions 'heard not the voice,' while Acts 9:7 says they 'heard a voice,' creating an apparent contradiction. The JST footnote revises one account to harmonize the two, likely clarifying that they heard a sound but did not understand the words or hear the message.

Acts 22:10

εἶπον δέ· Τί ποιήσω, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν πρός με· Ἀναστὰς πορεύου εἰς Δαμασκόν, κἀκεῖ σοι λαληθήσεται περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι.

I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that has been appointed for you to do.'

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul's question 'What should I do?' (ti poieso) portrays him as immediately submissive to the risen Lord's authority. The passive 'has been appointed' (tetaktai) implies divine foreordination — Paul's mission was predetermined.
Acts 22:11

ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου, χειραγωγούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν συνόντων μοι ἦλθον εἰς Δαμασκόν.

Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word doxa ('glory, brightness') adds theological depth — Paul's blindness resulted from the 'glory' of the light, the same word used for God's manifest presence (the Shekinah) in the Septuagint. Being led by the hand portrays the once-powerful persecutor as helpless.
Acts 22:12

Ἁνανίας δέ τις, ἀνὴρ εὐλαβὴς κατὰ τὸν νόμον, μαρτυρούμενος ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων Ἰουδαίων,

A certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews living there,

KJV And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This description of Ananias is unique to this account and tailored for the audience. In Acts 9, Ananias is simply called 'a disciple.' Here, before a Jewish crowd, Paul emphasizes that Ananias was 'devout according to the law' (eulabes kata ton nomon) and respected by the Jewish community — a Torah-observant Jew, not a lawless renegade.
Acts 22:13

ἐλθὼν πρός με καὶ ἐπιστὰς εἶπέν μοι· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ἀνάβλεψον· κἀγὼ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀνέβλεψα εἰς αὐτόν.

Arrived to me, and stood, and stated to me, Brother Saul, accept your sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

KJV Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb anablepson has a double meaning: 'look up' and 'receive sight.' The healing is immediate — 'at that very moment' (aute te hora) — emphasizing divine power working through Ananias. The address 'Brother Saul' (Saoul adelphe) indicates Ananias's acceptance of the former persecutor.
Acts 22:14

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν προεχειρίσατό σε γνῶναι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν δίκαιον καὶ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ,

Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth,

KJV And he said, The God 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.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

ὁ δίκαιος ho dikaios
"the Righteous One" — the righteous one, the just one

A messianic title drawn from Isaiah 53:11 ('my righteous servant'). In Acts, it is applied to Jesus three times (3:14, 7:52, 22:14), each time in speeches to Jewish audiences.

Translator Notes

  1. Ananias frames Paul's commission using thoroughly Jewish language: 'the God of our fathers' (ho theos ton pateron hemon) connects to the patriarchal promises. 'The Righteous One' (ton dikaion) is a messianic title rooted in Isaiah 53:11 and used for Jesus in Acts 3:14 and 7:52. The threefold commission — know, see, hear — echoes prophetic call narratives.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Isaiah 53:11. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
Acts 22:15

ὅτι ἔσῃ μάρτυς αὐτῷ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὧν ἑώρακας καὶ ἤκουσας.

For you shalt be his witness to all men of what you have seen and listened to.

KJV For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word martys ('witness') carries its full weight here — Paul is commissioned as an eyewitness of the risen Christ. The phrase 'to all people' (pros pantas anthropous) already hints at the universal scope of Paul's mission, though the explosive word 'Gentiles' is not yet used.
Acts 22:16

καὶ νῦν τί μέλλεις; ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

KJV And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The command to 'wash away your sins' (apolousai tas hamartias sou) connects baptism with cleansing — language that resonates with Jewish purification rituals. The middle voice of both baptisai and apolousai suggests Paul's active participation. 'Calling on his name' (epikalesamenos to onoma autou) echoes Joel 2:32, quoted by Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:21).
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Joel 2:32. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
Acts 22:17

Ἐγένετο δέ μοι ὑποστρέψαντι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ προσευχομένου μου ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει

"When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

KJV 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;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This temple vision is unique to this account — it does not appear in Acts 9 or 26. Paul strategically emphasizes that he received his Gentile commission while praying in the Jerusalem temple, demonstrating that his mission did not originate in opposition to the temple but within it. The word ekstasis ('trance, ecstasy') describes the same kind of visionary state Peter experienced in Acts 10:10.
Acts 22:18

καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν λέγοντά μοι· Σπεῦσον καὶ ἔξελθε ἐν τάχει ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ, διότι οὐ παραδέξονταί σου μαρτυρίαν περὶ ἐμοῦ.

Noticed him declaring to me, Make haste, and get you quickly out of Jerusalem — since they will not receive your testimony concerning me.

KJV And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The Lord's command to leave Jerusalem — 'hurry' (speuson) combined with 'quickly' (en tachei) — conveys urgency. The prediction that Jerusalem will reject Paul's testimony is both warning and explanation: Paul's Gentile mission was not Plan B but God's response to Israel's refusal.
Acts 22:19

κἀγὼ εἶπον· Κύριε, αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ ἤμην φυλακίζων καὶ δέρων κατὰ τὰς συναγωγὰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ σέ·

I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another 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:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul argues that his dramatic conversion — from violent persecutor to believer — should make him the most credible witness to his own people. The reasoning: anyone who would abandon his previous position so dramatically must have been compelled by overwhelming evidence.
Acts 22:20

καὶ ὅτε ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν.

And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being poured out, I myself was standing by and approving and guarding the garments of those who killed him.'

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word martys here means 'witness' but is on its way to its later meaning of 'martyr' — Stephen's witness was sealed by his blood. Paul's admission of complicity in Stephen's death (cf. 7:58, 8:1) is the strongest possible evidence of his former anti-Christian commitment. The detail of 'guarding the garments' recalls the stoning procedure where witnesses removed outer garments to throw more effectively.
Acts 22:21

καὶ εἶπεν πρός με· Πορεύου, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς ἔθνη μακρὰν ἐξαποστελῶ σε.

Then he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

KJV And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This single verse triggers the crowd's explosion. The word ethne ('nations, Gentiles') is the flashpoint. The Lord's commission to Paul — 'I will send you far away to the Gentiles' — uses the verb exapostelo, from which 'apostle' derives. Paul is being sent (apostled) to the nations. For the Jerusalem crowd, the claim that God commissioned a mission to include Gentiles as equals was intolerable.
Acts 22:22

Ἤκουον δὲ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι τούτου τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν λέγοντες· Αἶρε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸν τοιοῦτον· οὐ γὰρ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν.

They listened to him up to this word. Then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!"

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The crowd's tolerance snaps at the word 'Gentiles.' Their fury — 'he should not be allowed to live' (ou katheeken auton zen) — reveals that the real offense was not theology about Jesus but the inclusion of Gentiles. The cry 'Away from the earth' (Aire apo tes ges) demands execution.
Acts 22:23

κραυγαζόντων τε αὐτῶν καὶ ῥιπτούντων τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ κονιορτὸν βαλλόντων εἰς τὸν ἀέρα,

As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

KJV And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The three actions — shouting, throwing garments, tossing dust — express extreme outrage. Throwing dust may signify cursing (cf. 2 Samuel 16:13, where Shimei throws dust at David) or preparation for stoning. Removing garments echoes the stoning of Stephen (7:58), which Paul himself referenced moments earlier.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References 2 Samuel 16:13 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Acts 22:24

ἐκέλευσεν ὁ χιλίαρχος εἰσάγεσθαι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν, εἰπὼν μάστιξιν ἀνετάζεσθαι αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐπιγνῷ δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὕτως ἐπεφώνουν αὐτῷ.

The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging. That he might know for this reason they cried so opposed to him.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The commander could not understand Paul's Aramaic speech and only witnessed the crowd's violent reaction. Roman 'examination by scourging' (mastixin anetazesthai) was a method of extracting information from non-citizens — a brutal interrogation technique using leather whips often embedded with bone or metal. It was distinct from the lesser punishment of beating with rods.
Acts 22:25

ὡς δὲ προέτειναν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἱμᾶσιν εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἑστῶτα ἑκατόνταρχον ὁ Παῦλος· Εἰ ἄνθρωπον Ῥωμαῖον καὶ ἀκατάκριτον ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν μαστίζειν;

But when they had stretched him out for the lashing, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and has not been condemned?"

KJV 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?

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Paul times his revelation of Roman citizenship for maximum legal effect — when he is already being tied up for flogging. The question is rhetorical: it was emphatically illegal. The lex Porcia (c. 195 BC) and the lex Julia (c. 23 BC) prohibited binding, beating, or executing a Roman citizen without due process. The word akarakriton ('uncondemned, without trial') emphasizes the procedural violation.
Acts 22:26

ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης προσελθὼν τῷ χιλιάρχῳ ἀπήγγειλεν λέγων· Τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν; ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν.

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

KJV When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The centurion's alarmed report — 'What are you about to do?' — reflects the serious legal consequences of violating a Roman citizen's rights. A commander who flogged a citizen without trial could face severe punishment, including loss of rank.
Acts 22:27

προσελθὼν δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Λέγε μοι, σὺ Ῥωμαῖος εἶ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ναί.

So the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."

KJV Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The commander personally verifies the claim. Falsely claiming Roman citizenship was a capital offense (Suetonius, Claudius 25), so the claim carried its own credibility. Paul's single-word answer — 'Yes' (Nai) — is quietly authoritative.
Acts 22:28

ἀπεκρίθη δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος· Ἐγὼ πολλοῦ κεφαλαίου τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἐκτησάμην. ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἔφη· Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι.

The commander answered, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."

KJV And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The exchange reveals a social hierarchy within citizenship. The commander (whose name, Claudius Lysias, per 23:26, suggests he obtained citizenship under Emperor Claudius, who was known for selling it) purchased his status. Paul inherited his — his family held citizenship, possibly granted for services to Rome in Tarsus. Birth citizenship outranked purchased citizenship in social prestige.
Acts 22:29

εὐθέως οὖν ἀπέστησαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ οἱ μέλλοντες αὐτὸν ἀνετάζειν· καὶ ὁ χιλίαρχος δὲ ἐφοβήθη ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸν ἦν δεδεκώς.

Immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The immediate withdrawal (eutheos apestesan) of the interrogators demonstrates the power of Roman citizenship rights. The commander's fear (ephobethee) is specifically about having already bound Paul (auton en dedekos) — the binding itself was a violation, even before any flogging occurred.
Acts 22:30

Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον βουλόμενος γνῶναι τὸ ἀσφαλὲς τὸ τί κατηγορεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔλυσεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἐκέλευσεν συνελθεῖν τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ πᾶν τὸ συνέδριον, καὶ καταγαγὼν τὸν Παῦλον ἔστησεν εἰς αὐτούς.

The next day, wanting to find out the real reason Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and set him before them.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Unable to examine Paul by force (because of his citizenship) and unable to understand the charges (because the speech was in Aramaic), the commander convenes the Jewish council (synedrion, the Sanhedrin) to clarify the matter. This sets the stage for chapter 23. The Roman commander's authority to convene the Sanhedrin demonstrates the power dynamics of the occupation.
Chapter 21 Report an error Acts index Chapter 23