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Selected Verse: Acts 22:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 22:1	Strong Concordance	Men [435], brethren [80], and [2532] fathers [3962], hear ye [191] my [3450] defence [627] which I make now [3568] unto [4314] you [5209].
	King James	Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Men, brethren, and fathers - This defense was addressed to the Jews, and Paul commenced it with an expression of sincere respect for them. Stephen began his defense with the same form of address. See the notes on Act 7:2. My defence - Against the charges brought against me. Those charges were, that he had endeavored to prejudice people everywhere against the Jews, the Law, and the temple, Act 21:28. In order to meet this charge, Paul stated: (1) That he was a Jew by birth, and had enjoyed all the advantages of a Jewish education, Act 22:3; (2) He recounted the circumstances of his conversion, and the reason why he believed that he was called to preach the gospel, Act 22:4-16; (3) He proceeded to state the reasons why he went among the Gentiles, and evidently intended to vindicate his conduct there, Act 22:17-21; but at this point, at the name Gentiles, his defense was interrupted by the enraged multitude, and he was not permitted to proceed. What would have been his defense, therefore, had he been suffered to finish it, it is impossible to know with certainty. On another occasion, however, he was permitted to make a similar defense, and perhaps to complete the train of thought which he had purposed to pursue here. See Acts 22.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Men, brethren, and fathers - This defense was addressed to the Jews, and Paul commenced it with an expression of sincere respect for them. Stephen began his defense with the same form of address. See the notes on Act 7:2.

My defence - Against the charges brought against me. Those charges were, that he had endeavored to prejudice people everywhere against the Jews, the Law, and the temple, Act 21:28. In order to meet this charge, Paul stated:

(1) That he was a Jew by birth, and had enjoyed all the advantages of a Jewish education, Act 22:3;

(2) He recounted the circumstances of his conversion, and the reason why he believed that he was called to preach the gospel, Act 22:4-16;

(3) He proceeded to state the reasons why he went among the Gentiles, and evidently intended to vindicate his conduct there, Act 22:17-21; but at this point, at the name Gentiles, his defense was interrupted by the enraged multitude, and he was not permitted to proceed.

What would have been his defense, therefore, had he been suffered to finish it, it is impossible to know with certainty. On another occasion, however, he was permitted to make a similar defense, and perhaps to complete the train of thought which he had purposed to pursue here. See Acts 22.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Defence (ἀπολογίας) See on answer, Pe1 3:15.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Hear ye now my defence - Which they could not hear before for the tumult.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Men, brethren, and fathers - A Hebrew form of expression for brethren and fathers: for two classes only are addressed. See the note on Act 7:2. Hear ye my defense - Μου της απολογιας, This apology of mine; in this sense the word apology was anciently understood: hence the Apologies of the primitive fathers, i.e. their defenses of the Christian religion. And this is as proper literal meaning; but it is now used only as implying an excuse for improper conduct. That this is an abuse of the term requires no proof.

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¹⁷ And [1161] it came to pass [1096], that, when I [3427] was come again [5290] to [1519] Jerusalem [2419], even [2532] while I [3450] prayed [4336] in [1722] the temple [2411], I [3165] was [1096] in [1722] a trance [1611];
¹⁸ And [2532] saw [1492] him [846] saying [3004] unto me [3427], Make haste [4692], and [2532] get thee [1831] quickly [5034] [1722] out of [1537] Jerusalem [2419]: for [1360] they will [3858] not [3756] receive [3858] thy [4675] testimony [3141] concerning [4012] me [1700].
¹⁹ And I [2504] said [2036], Lord [2962], they [846] know [1987] that [3754] I [1473] imprisoned [2252] [5439] and [2532] beat [1194] in every [2596] synagogue [4864] them that believed [4100] on [1909] thee [4571]:
²⁰ And [2532] when [3753] the blood [129] of thy [4675] martyr [3144] Stephen [4736] was shed [1632], I [846] also [2532] was [2252] standing by [2186], and [2532] consenting [4909] unto his [846] death [336], and [2532] kept [5442] the raiment [2440] of them that slew [337] him [846].
²¹ And [2532] he said [2036] unto [4314] me [3165], Depart [4198]: for [3754] I [1473] will send [1821] thee [4571] far hence [3112] unto [1519] the Gentiles [1484].

⁴ And I [3739] persecuted [1377] this [5026] way [3598] unto [891] the death [2288], binding [1195] and [2532] delivering [3860] into [1519] prisons [5438] both [5037] men [435] and [2532] women [1135].
⁵ As [5613] also [2532] the high priest [749] doth bear [3140] me [3427] witness [3140], and [2532] all [3956] the estate of the elders [4244]: from [3844] whom [3739] also [2532] I received [1209] letters [1992] unto [4314] the brethren [80], and [2532] went [4198] to [1519] Damascus [1154], to bring [71] them which were [5607] there [1566] bound [1210] unto [1519] Jerusalem [2419], for to [2443] be punished [5097].
⁶ And [1161] it came to pass [1096], that, as I made [4198] my [3427] journey [4198], and [2532] was come nigh [1448] unto Damascus [1154] about [4012] noon [3314], suddenly [1810] there shone [4015] from [1537] heaven [3772] a great [2425] light [5457] round [4015] about [4012] me [1691].
⁷ And [5037] I fell [4098] unto [1519] the ground [1475], and [2532] heard [191] a voice [5456] saying [3004] unto me [3427], Saul [4549], Saul [4549], why [5101] persecutest thou [1377] me [3165]?
⁸ And [1161] I [1473] answered [611], Who [5101] art thou [1488], Lord [2962]? And [5037] he said [2036] unto [4314] me [3165], I [1473] am [1510] Jesus [2424] of Nazareth [3480], whom [3739] thou [4771] persecutest [1377].
⁹ And [1161] they that were [5607] with [4862] me [1698] saw [2300] indeed [3303] the light [5457], and [2532] were [1096] afraid [1719]; but [1161] they heard [191] not [3756] the voice [5456] of him that spake [2980] to me [3427].
¹⁰ And [1161] I said [2036], What [5101] shall I do [4160], Lord [2962]? And [1161] the Lord [2962] said [2036] unto [4314] me [3165], Arise [450], and go [4198] into [1519] Damascus [1154]; and there [2546] it shall be told [2980] thee [4671] of [4012] all things [3956] which [3739] are appointed [5021] for thee [4671] to do [4160].
¹¹ And [1161] when [5613] I could [1689] not [3756] see [1689] for [575] the glory [1391] of that [1565] light [5457], being led by the hand [5496] of [5259] them that were [4895] with me [3427], I came [2064] into [1519] Damascus [1154].
¹² And [1161] one [5100] Ananias [367], a devout [2152] man [435] according [2596] to the law [3551], having a good report [3140] of [5259] all [3956] the Jews [2453] which dwelt [2730] there,
¹³ Came [2064] unto [4314] me [3165], and [2532] stood [2186], and said [2036] unto me [3427], Brother [80] Saul [4549], receive thy sight [308]. And [2504] the same [846] hour [5610] I [2504] looked up [308] upon [1519] him [846].
¹⁴ And [1161] he said [2036], The God [2316] of our [2257] fathers [3962] hath chosen [4400] thee [4571], that thou shouldest know [1097] his [846] will [2307], and [2532] see [1492] that Just One [1342], and [2532] shouldest hear [191] the voice [5456] of [1537] his [846] mouth [4750].
¹⁵ For [3754] thou shalt be [2071] his [846] witness [3144] unto [4314] all [3956] men [444] of what [3739] thou hast seen [3708] and [2532] heard [191].
¹⁶ And [2532] now [3568] why [5101] tarriest thou [3195]? arise [450], and be baptized [907], and [2532] wash away [628] thy [4675] sins [266], calling on [1941] the name [3686] of the Lord [2962].

³ I [1473] am [1510] verily [3303] a man [435] which am a Jew [2453], born [1080] in [1722] Tarsus [5019], a city in Cilicia [2791], yet [1161] brought up [397] in [1722] this [5026] city [4172] at [3844] the feet [4228] of Gamaliel [1059], and taught [3811] according [2596] to the perfect manner [195] of the law [3551] of the fathers [3971], and was [5225] zealous [2207] toward God [2316], as [2531] ye [5210] all [3956] are [2075] this day [4594].

²⁸ Crying out [2896], Men [435] of Israel [2475], help [997]: This [3778] is [2076] the man [444], that teacheth [1321] all [3956] men every where [3837] against [2596] the people [2992], and [2532] the law [3551], and [2532] this [5126] place [5117]: and [5037] further [2089] brought [1521] Greeks [1672] also [2532] into [1519] the temple [2411], and [2532] hath polluted [2840] this [5127] holy [40] place [5117].

² And [1161] he said [5346], Men [435], brethren [80], and [2532] fathers [3962], hearken [191]; The God [2316] of glory [1391] appeared [3700] unto our [2257] father [3962] Abraham [11], when he was [5607] in [1722] Mesopotamia [3318], before [4250] [2228] he [846] dwelt [2730] in [1722] Charran [5488],

¹⁵ But [1161] sanctify [37] the Lord [2962] God [2316] in [1722] your [5216] hearts [2588]: and [1161] be ready [2092] always [104] to [4314] give an answer [627] to every man [3956] that asketh [154] you [5209] a reason [3056] of [4012] the hope [1680] that is in [1722] you [5213] with [3326] meekness [4240] and [2532] fear [5401]: