Acts 22 5

Acts 22:5 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.

Acts 22:5 nkjv

as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

Acts 22:5 niv

as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

Acts 22:5 esv

as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

Acts 22:5 nlt

The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.

Acts 22 verses

Acts 22 5 Meaning

In Acts 22:5, Paul is recounting his pre-conversion life and zeal to the Jewish crowd in Jerusalem. This verse highlights the official, widespread nature of his persecution of Christians. He had received direct authorization from the highest Jewish religious authorities—the high priest and the entire Sanhedrin—to pursue believers not only within Jerusalem but also in other cities like Damascus. His mission was to apprehend these followers of "the Way" (an early term for Christianity) and bring them back to Jerusalem, bound, to face official punishment under Jewish law. The verse underscores the intense opposition faced by the early church and Paul's fervent, yet misguided, dedication to his ancestral traditions before his encounter with the risen Christ.

Acts 22 5 Context

Paul (then called Saul) is on trial before the agitated Jewish crowd in Jerusalem. In Acts 21:27-36, he was seized and accused of defiling the Temple and teaching against the Jewish Law. After being rescued by Roman soldiers from being torn apart, he requests to speak to the crowd (Acts 21:40). Chapter 22 begins with Paul addressing them in Hebrew, narrating his background as a zealous Jew from Tarsus, trained by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). This specific verse, Acts 22:5, comes as he establishes his undeniable credentials as a devout Pharisee—one so committed to Jewish tradition that he actively and officially persecuted those who followed Jesus. This detail serves to highlight the dramatic contrast with his conversion story, which immediately follows, aiming to demonstrate the divine intervention that led to his transformation. Historically, the Sanhedrin held considerable authority among Jews both within Judea and the diaspora in matters of religious law, under Roman rule, making such official letters credible and binding for Jewish communities.

Acts 22 5 Word analysis

• as also the high priest (ὡς καί ὁ ἀρχιερεύς - hōs kai ho archiereus):

  • high priest: Refers to the current reigning high priest, who was the supreme religious authority in Judaism. Paul invokes this highest human authority to underscore the legitimate and official nature of his previous persecution from a Jewish standpoint.
  • significance: Paul wasn't acting as a rogue individual; his actions were institutionally sanctioned. This emphasizes his former adherence to, and position within, the Jewish religious establishment.
  • Original Context: The high priesthood, an ancient institution (Exod 28), had significant spiritual, legal, and even political sway within the Jewish nation, even under Roman occupation.

• bears me witness (μαρτυρεῖ μοι - martyrei moi):

  • bears witness: Implies providing testimony or confirmation. Paul claims the high priest would corroborate his account of receiving official orders.
  • significance: Paul challenges the crowd to confirm his words directly, grounding his past actions in undeniable facts accessible to them. This lends authenticity to his pre-conversion narrative.

• and all the council of the elders (καί πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον - kai pan to presbyterion):

  • council of the elders: Refers to the Sanhedrin (also known as the "council"), the supreme governing body of the Jewish people, composed of priests, scribes, and elders.
  • significance: Paul emphasizes the unanimous consent and full endorsement of the entire Jewish judicial and religious leadership, further validating the official nature and broad consensus behind his mission.
  • Original Context: The Sanhedrin was the highest court, having the power to make religious law judgments and even carry out sentences (though under Roman rule, capital punishment often required Roman approval).

• from whom I also received letters to the brethren (παρ' ὧν καί ἐπιστολὰς λαβών πρός τούς ἀδελφούς):

  • letters: These were official documents, akin to warrants or extradition orders, granting Saul the authority to act on behalf of the Sanhedrin.
  • brethren: In this context, it refers to Jewish people (members of synagogues) living in Damascus, who were expected to cooperate with Saul's mission based on the authority of the letters. It's a key example of the Jewish leadership's authority extending beyond Jerusalem to diaspora communities.
  • significance: These letters gave Saul legal jurisdiction within the Jewish community, even in foreign cities. This was not mere social harassment but a formal, institutional hunt.

• and went to Damascus (ἐπορευόμην εἰς Δαμασκόν - eporeuomēn eis Damaskon):

  • Damascus: A major, ancient Hellenistic city in Syria, a significant center of Jewish diaspora. Its distance from Jerusalem (around 130 miles/210 km) signifies the scale and determination of the persecution campaign.
  • significance: Shows the ambition and widespread nature of the early church persecution. The nascent Christian movement was seen as a threat requiring decisive, extra-territorial action by the Jewish authorities.

• to bring those who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished (ἀξῶν καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν):

  • those who were there: The Christians, followers of Jesus, referred to as adherents of "the Way" (Acts 9:2).
  • bound (δεδεμένους - dedemenous): Physically tied up, imprisoned. This detail emphasizes the forceful and humiliating treatment intended for the Christians. It points to the serious nature of the charge—apostasy, heresy, or blasphemy from the Jewish perspective.
  • to Jerusalem: The intent was to bring them before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem for a formal religious trial. This reinforces the institutional and legal gravity of the persecution.
  • to be punished (ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν - hina timōrēthōsin): The ultimate goal was to subject them to the full extent of Jewish religious law, which could include severe flogging, imprisonment, or even death (e.g., stoning for blasphemy or apostasy, Acts 7:58).
  • significance: This phrase reveals the punitive and potentially lethal intent of Paul's mission. He wasn't just observing or questioning; he was an enforcer of severe religious law against perceived heretics, aimed at stamping out Christianity as a perceived cult.

• Word-Groups Analysis:

  • "as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders": This powerful pairing underscores Paul's complete backing by the highest and most respected Jewish authorities. It sets up an argument based on established tradition and leadership, contrasting it with his new allegiance to Christ. The collective weight of these bodies highlights the magnitude of the official sanction given to Paul's actions.
  • "from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus": This phrase details the logistical and legal framework of his mission. The "letters" denote formal, trans-regional authority, and the journey to "Damascus" indicates the breadth of his zealous endeavor to suppress the Christian movement, pursuing its adherents even outside Judea.
  • "to bring those who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished": This explicitly states the severe intent of his mission. "Bound" illustrates the coercive means, "to Jerusalem" implies the official legal process under the Sanhedrin, and "to be punished" denotes the grave consequences these early believers faced, highlighting Paul's past ruthlessness in defense of Judaism.

Acts 22 5 Bonus section

The jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin under Roman rule was significant for Jewish communities across the Roman Empire in religious matters. While the Romans largely reserved capital punishment for themselves, they permitted considerable internal autonomy for Jews in legal and religious disputes. This included the authority of the Sanhedrin to issue warrants for the arrest and extradition of Jews who were considered to have violated Jewish law, even across provincial boundaries. Saul’s mission to Damascus demonstrates the practical exercise of this internal authority and the degree of organization within early Jewish resistance to Christianity. The early followers of Jesus were considered a sect within Judaism, initially subject to its religious courts. It was only later that Christianity fully diverged, creating a clearer distinction.

Acts 22 5 Commentary

Acts 22:5 is a critical moment in Paul's defense, validating his sincerity and zeal for his ancestral faith prior to his conversion. By invoking the highest Jewish religious authorities—the high priest and the entire Sanhedrin—as witnesses, Paul grounds his past actions in the accepted religious framework of the time. His journey to Damascus, armed with official letters, illustrates a methodical and far-reaching effort to suppress Christianity, seen as a dangerous heresy. The intent to bring believers back "bound" to Jerusalem for "punishment" underscores the severe consequences these individuals faced under Jewish law for perceived apostasy. This vivid account sets the stage for the dramatic, divine interruption that utterly transformed him, serving to bridge Paul’s past as a formidable persecutor with his present as an ardent preacher of Christ. This verse highlights the profound shift required for Paul's conversion to be believable and impactful.