New International Version
Acts 22:3
3“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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
- 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, listen now to my defense.” 2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: “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. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as 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.
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 answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”
- Romans 11:1I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
- 2 Corinthians 11:22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.
- Philippians 3:5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;
- Acts 9:11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
- Acts 11:25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
- Acts 6:9Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen.
- Acts 15:23With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.
- Acts 23:34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
- Galatians 1:21Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.
- Deuteronomy 33:3Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction,
- 2 Kings 4:38Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”
- Luke 2:46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
- Luke 8:35and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
- Luke 10:39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
- Acts 5:34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put 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
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