English Standard Version
Acts 22:5
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.
Acts 22:5 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
- New Living Translation (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.
Context of Acts 22:5
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. 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 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. 6"As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
Read all of Acts 22Acts 22:5 word by word
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.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- the high priestὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the high priestἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
- doth bearμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- the estate of the eldersπρεσβυτέριονpresbuterion · council of eldersG4244
- fromπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- I receivedδέχομαιdechomai · to receiveG1209
- lettersἐπιστολήepistolē · epistleG1992
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- and wentπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- DamascusΔαμασκόςDamaskos · DamascusG1154
- to bringἄγωagō · to bringG71
- which wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thereἐκεῖσεekeise · thereG1566
- boundδέωdeō · to bindG1210
- JerusalemἹερουσαλήμHierousalēm · JerusalemG2419
- forἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- to be punishedτιμωρέωtimōreō · to punishG5097
Cross-references for Acts 22:5
- Acts 9:1But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
- Acts 26:10And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
- Acts 4:5On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,
- Acts 5:21And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
- Luke 22:66When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said,
- Acts 22:1"Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you."
- Romans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Commentaries on Acts 22:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The high priest doth bear me witness, etc. - He probably referred to the letters of authority which he had received from the high priest, and the whole estate of the elders, , the whole of the presbytery, that is, the sanhedrin; and it is likely, that he had those letters to produce. This zeal of his against Christianity was an ample proof of his sincerity as a Pharisaical Jew.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5As also the high priest - See the notes on Acts 9:2. All the estate of the elders - Greek: all the presbytery; that is, the whole body of the Sanhedrin, or Great Council of the nation. Unto the brethren - The Jewish brethren who were at Damascus. Paul here speaks as a Jew, and regards his countrymen as his brethren.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-21Paul gives his most complete defense of his life and faith before his own people in Jerusalem. This speech shows his flexibility as a missionary, just as his message to the Greek philosophers in Athens also did (17:22–31; see 1 Corinthians 9:20–23). He begins by showing his close connection with his audience. He explains his Jewish background and his training under Gamaliel the Elder (a respected Jewish teacher). He also describes his strong desire to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. the high priest--still alive. doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders--the whole Sanhedrim.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 22:5
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
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