Acts 22

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)

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.

And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

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.

And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;

And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.

And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

What does Acts 22:11 mean?

Explanation

Acts 22:11 is a part of the Apostle Paul's personal testimony about his dramatic conversion from a persecutor of Christians to one of their greatest advocates.

In this verse, Paul recounts the physical blindness that struck him after encountering a bright light and hearing the voice of Jesus on the road to Damascus.

The light is described as having a glory that is beyond normal perception, causing Paul to lose his sight temporarily.

The blindness is symbolic of his spiritual transformation; his physical inability to see reflects his previous spiritual blindness to the truth of Jesus Christ.

Paul's necessity to be led by hand to Damascus signifies his new dependence on others, mirroring his newfound dependence on God.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts was authored by Luke, a companion of Paul, and it serves as a sequel to his Gospel.

Acts details the early history of the Christian church following the ascension of Jesus.

During the time of this verse, Paul, originally known as Saul, was a zealous Pharisee who actively sought to crush the early Christian movement.

Paul's journey to Damascus was initially to arrest Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial.

This verse is part of Paul's defense speech before a Jewish crowd in Jerusalem after his arrest in the temple.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse underscores the concept of divine intervention and transformation.

God's sovereignty is on display as He directly intervenes in Paul's life, leading to a radical transformation.

It also highlights the theme of grace, as Paul, the persecutor, is forgiven and called to serve Jesus.

From a Christian perspective, this narrative serves as an example of how God can redeem and repurpose anyone for His works, no matter their past.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse can encourage individuals facing spiritual or personal challenges to seek transformation and redemption.

It acts as a reminder that change often requires reliance upon others and humility.

For Christians, it may reinforce the belief in the possibility of turning over a new life despite previous errors and can inspire outreach to those who oppose or misunderstand their faith.

Cross-References

Acts 9:3-9: "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven [...]"
Acts 26:12-18: "Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, [...] to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;"
2 Corinthians 4:4: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Language Study

The original Greek words of importance in this verse include:

"Glory" (δόξης, doxēs): Often associated with divine radiance or the magnificent presence of God.
"Light" (φωτός, photos): Signifying illumination, both physical and potentially spiritual.
"Led by the hand" (χειραγωγούμενος, cheiragogoumenos): Connoting guidance or being directed by someone else, indicating a loss of independence or ability to navigate on one's own.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other religious narratives, experiences of blindness and subsequent enlightenment are common motifs.

In Hinduism, for example, there are stories of spiritual blindness and later insight.

Similarly, in Greek mythology, Tiresias becomes blind but is also granted the ability to see the truth.

The notion of a divine encounter resulting in temporary human weakness can be found in various cultural myths.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the experience described by Paul could be interpreted as a form of temporary visual impairment caused by intense light exposure.

Though typically a natural explanation does not account for the accompanying voice and conversion experience, neurological or psychological explanations, such as altered mental states or even epilepsy, have been posited to explain such profound experiences.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have commented on this verse.

John Calvin saw Paul's blindness as a kind of spiritual surgery, removing his old sight to prepare him for new insights.

Matthew Henry interprets the blindness as a humbling experience, ensuring that Saul would learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

Modern commentators might focus on the psychological transformation that occurred in Paul, emphasizing the profound personal crisis that such an experience would entail.

Acts 22

Acts 22

What does Acts 22:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 22:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?