Acts 22:19

‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul addresses a hostile Jerusalem crowd in the temple courts, responding to their outrage by recounting his past persecution of Christians. He speaks immediately after receiving a divine command to flee Jerusalem because his testimony will be rejected there.

The words — The text highlights `αὐτοὶ` (autoi) = they themselves and `ἐπίστανται` (epistantai) = know, emphasizing that Jewish authorities possess full awareness of his past actions. Paul uses `κἀγὼ` (kagō) = and I myself to personally attest to his direct involvement in imprisoning and beating believers.

The thread — This acknowledgment of past synagogue persecutions and imprisonments echoes his earlier confession in Acts 22:4 and his role in Stephen’s martyrdom. The pattern of synagogue beatings and detentions also fulfills the warning in Matthew 10:17.

Why it lands — The verse requires readers to confront the reality of Paul’s former life as a persecutor without softening the historical record. It demands acknowledgment that divine commission operates independently of human hostility or institutional rejection.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

κἀγὼkagōAnd I myself εἶπον·eiponsaid;κύριε,kurieLord,αὐτοὶautoithey themselves ἐπίστανταιepistantaiknow ὅτιhotithat ἐγὼegōI myself ἤμηνēmēnwas φυλακίζωνphulakizōnimprisoning καὶkaiand δέρωνderōnbeating κατὰkatain each τὰςtasof those συναγωγὰςsunagōgassynagogues τοὺςtousthose πιστεύονταςpisteuontasbelieving ἐπὶepion σέ·seYou;

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Acts 22:4 I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
Matthew 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
Acts 8:3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
Acts 26:9 So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.