English Standard Version
Acts 22:3
3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
Acts 22:3 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.
Context of Acts 22:3
1"Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you." 2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5as 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.
Read all of Acts 22Acts 22:3 word by word
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,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- verilyμένmen · on the other handG3303
- a manἀνήρanēr · manG435
- a JewἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- bornγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- TarsusΤαρσόςTarsos · TarsusG5019
- in CiliciaΚιλικία, ΚιλικίαKilikia · CiliciaG2791
- yetδέde · thenG1161
- brought upἀνατρέφωanatrephō · to bring upG397
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- atπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- the feetπούςpous · footG4228
- of GamalielΓαμαλιήλGamaliēl · GamalielG1059
- taughtπαιδεύωpaideuō · to instructG3811
- according toκατάkata · according toG2596
- the perfect mannerἀκρίβειαakribeia · strictnessG195
- of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- of the fathersπατρῷοςpatrōos · ancestralG3971
- and wasὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- zealousζηλωτήςzēlōtēs · zealotG2207
- toward Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- this dayσήμερονsēmeron · todayG4594
Cross-references for Acts 22:3
- Acts 21:39Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people."
- Romans 11:1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
- 2 Corinthians 11:22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.
- Philippians 3:5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
- Acts 9:11And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,
- Acts 11:25So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
- Acts 6:9Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.
- Acts 15:23with the following letter: "The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.
- Acts 23:34On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia,
- Galatians 1:21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
- Deuteronomy 33:3Yes, he loved his people, all his holy ones were in his hand; so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you,
- 2 Kings 4:38And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."
- Luke 2:46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
- Luke 8:35Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
- Luke 10:39And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.
- Acts 5:34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.
Commentaries on Acts 22:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3I am verily a man which am a Jew - A periphrasis for, I am really a Jew: and his mentioning this adds weight to the conjecture in the preceding note. He shows that he could not be ignorant of the Jewish religion, as he had had the best instructer in it which Jerusalem could produce. Yet brought up, etc. - Bp. Pearce proposes that this verse should be thus read and translated: but brought up in this city; instructed at the feet of Gamaliel, according to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Born in Tarsus - See the notes on Acts 9:11. Brought up in this city - In Jerusalem, sent there for the advantage of more perfect instruction in the Law. At the feet of Gamaliel - As a scholar or disciple of Gamaliel. The phrase to sit at the feet of one is expressive of the condition of a disciple or learner. Compare Deuteronomy 33:3; Luke 10:39. It is probable that the expression arose from the fact that the learners occupied a lower place or seat than…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3at the feet of Gamaliel: See study note on 5:34.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. a Jew of Tarsus, brought up in this city, at the feet--(See on Lu 10:39). of Gamaliel--(See on Ac 5:34); a fact of great importance in the apostle's history, standing in the same relation to his future career as Moses' education in the Egyptian court to the work for which he was destined. the perfect manner of the law of the fathers--the strictest form of traditional Judaism. zealous--"a zealot." toward God as ye all are this day--his own former…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 22:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries