We pick up where we left off in Acts 21. Paul is at the top of the stairs, being taken into the palace of the centurion that saved him from the crowd that had beaten him. Acts 22 and verse 1 reads.
Acts 22:1] Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
[2] (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
Keep in mind Paul was of the pharisees, and also a Roman citizen. Paul will now give his testimony.
Acts 22:3] 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.
Gamaliel was a scholar and taught the law of Moses. Paul studied under him and also taught others.
Acts 22:4] And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
[5] 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.
Remember he received the letter from the high priest to go to Damascus. Showing he was of the pharisees.
Acts 22:6] 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.
Giving them the account of Acts 9.
Acts 22:7] And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
[8] And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
[9] 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.
[10] 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.
[11] 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.
[12] And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
[13] Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
The same hour means immediately, but this “I looked up upon him” tells me he did see him. But is this proof he did see with his physical eyes or spiritual eyes. Hmm.
Acts 22:14] 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.
[15] For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Paul is now told that he is a chosen one of the Lord. This is being said to those that are there at the foot of the stairs. Keeping the perspective of what is written here.
Acts 22:16] And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
This is very important because all of us rely on the mercy and grace of our Lord for repentance.
Acts 22:17] 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;
[18] And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
This is talking about when he had come to Jerusalem earlier after receiving the Holy Spirit, and not for this time.
Acts 22:19] And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
[20] 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.
I know some of us can be very hard on ourselves with what we think are too great a sin, but the Father loves you. Never think your sins too great to be forgiven.
Acts 22:21] And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Given a threefold ministry from God. Acts 9;15.
Acts 22:22] 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.
Is it because they didn’t believe him or that they are proven Kenites.
Acts 22:23] And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
Gnashing their teeth.
Acts 22:24] 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.
Wanted Paul to be beaten so that they might extract the truth out of him, thinking that he was lying to them. This will not go well for anyone.
Acts 22:25] 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?
Unlawful to beat a Roman without trial. Anyone else was apparently Ok.
Acts 22:26] When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
[27] Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
[28] And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
The chief captain had to buy his own freedom, meaning he was not free to begin with. But Paul was born free because his father was a Roman citizen.
Acts 22:29] 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.
Those that were about to beat him scattered.
Acts 22:30] 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.
They are now in big trouble, not only the Jews for beating him, but these centurions and chief captains. We’ll find out tomorrow what happens next. When we serve the LORD, the LORD protects his own. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible