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 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 9:1 | Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord | Acts 9:1 (Event Setup) |
| Acts 9:14 | Authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name | Acts 9:14 (Specific Authority) |
| Acts 26:10 | I also cast my vote against them when they were put to death | Acts 26:10 (Confirmation) |
| 1 Corinthians 15:9 | For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God | 1 Cor 15:9 (Apostolic Humility) |
| Philippians 3:6 | as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless | Phil 3:6 (Zealous Persecutor) |
| Galatians 1:13 | For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it | Gal 1:13 (Violent Persecution) |
| John 16:2 | Indeed, an hour is coming that whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God | John 16:2 (Misguided Zeal) |
| 2 Timothy 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted | 2 Tim 3:12 (Persecution Foretold) |
| 1 Timothy 1:13 | although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief | 1 Tim 1:13 (Ignorant Actions) |
| Exodus 3:6 | "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." | Ex 3:6 (God of the Fathers) |
| Deuteronomy 18:15 | "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear." | Deut 18:15 (Prophet Foretold) |
| Isaiah 53:8 | He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgression of my people He was stricken. | Isa 53:8 (Suffering Servant) |
| Matthew 25:40 | "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" | Matt 25:40 (Unity with Christ) |
| 1 Peter 4:12 | Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you | 1 Pet 4:12 (Fiery Trials) |
| Acts 7:59-60 | And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." | Acts 7:59-60 (Stephen's Death) |
| Romans 1:32 | who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things deserve the punishment of God, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. | Rom 1:32 (Approval of Wrong) |
| Psalm 41:9 | Indeed, my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me. | Ps 41:9 (Betrayal) |
| Matthew 10:14 | "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake the dust off your feet." | Matt 10:14 (Shaking Dust) |
| Acts 13:51 | But they shook the dust off their feet against them and went into Iconium. | Acts 13:51 (Fulfilling Matt 10:14) |
| Romans 8:28 | And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. | Rom 8:28 (God's Providence) |
| 2 Corinthians 12:10 | Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. | 2 Cor 12:10 (Suffering for Christ) |
Acts 22 verses
Acts 22 5 Meaning
Paul recounts his zealous persecution of Christians, explicitly stating his active participation in their deaths. He emphasizes his authority granted by the chief priests to imprison and kill believers, demonstrating his deep commitment to his former religious practices, even to the point of extreme violence against those who followed Jesus.
Acts 22 5 Context
This verse occurs during Paul's defense before the Jewish crowd in Jerusalem, as recounted in Acts chapter 22. The crowd had become hostile when Paul mentioned being sent to the Gentiles. Paul then recounts his earlier life as Saul, emphasizing his former fierce opposition to Christianity. He details his acquisition of letters from the chief priests to travel to Damascus and arrest any followers of "the Way." This personal testimony serves to highlight his dramatic conversion and God's mercy, while also seeking to show his past credentials to the Jews who knew of his former zeal.
Acts 22 5 Word analysis
- "I" (ἐγώ - egō): First-person singular pronoun, emphasizing Paul's personal involvement and responsibility.
- "also" (καί - kai): Conjunction linking this statement to the previous context, affirming his prior actions.
- "gave my vote" (συνευδοκήσας - syneudokēsas): Aorist participle from συνευδοκέω (syneudokeō), meaning "to approve," "to assent," "to agree with." It implies more than mere passive consent; it suggests active approval and endorsement of their actions.
- "against them" (αὐτῶν - autōn): Genitive plural pronoun, referring back to the believers or disciples of Jesus.
- "when they were put to death" (ἀναιρέσεως αὐτῶν - anairesōsis autōn): From ἀναίρεσις (anairesis), meaning "killing," "slaying," "destruction," or "murder." The genitive case indicates the object of his voting/approval. It refers to the act of putting to death the Christians. This demonstrates his support for capital punishment of believers.
Acts 22 5 Bonus section
This confession highlights the dangerous practice within some Jewish circles of authorizing the persecution and execution of those deemed heretics. The "chief priests" held significant power, and Saul, as a respected Pharisee, was granted official sanction. This verse echoes Jesus' warning in John 16:2, where He tells His disciples that the time would come when people would kill them, thinking they were doing God a service. Paul's own experience exemplifies this prophecy. His ability to cast a "vote" for their death signifies a judicial or authoritative agreement with their condemnation and execution. It speaks to the radical nature of his conversion that God could transform a man so actively involved in killing His followers into His most passionate apostle.
Acts 22 5 Commentary
Paul here is articulating his intense hostility towards the early church. His active participation, including giving his "vote" of approval for their deaths, underscores the depth of his zeal for the traditions he held. This statement is crucial because it starkly contrasts his past life with his transformed life in Christ. It serves to magnify the grace of God that reached even such a fervent persecutor. His testimony validates his apostleship in the eyes of some, while also provoking the wrath of others who were offended by his identification with the Gentiles. This demonstrates a significant aspect of his ministry: bearing witness to his own past sin and God's overwhelming mercy.