Acts 22:20

Stephen thy witness for thy martyr Stephen, A.V.; consenting for consenting unto his death, A.V. and T.R.; keeping the garments for kept the raiment, A.V. Consenting; suneudokwn, (above Act_8:1; Luk_11:48; Rom_1:32; 1Co_7:12, 1Co_7:13) It is also found in RAPC 1Macc 1:60 2Ma 11:34, 35. Of them that slew him (twn ajnairoun twn aujton). jAnairew, in the sense of "to kill," is a favorite word of St. Luke"s (Luk_22:2 Luk_23:32; Act_2:23 Act_5:33, 36 7:28 9:23, 24, 29 10:39 12:2 13:28 16:27 22:20 23:15, 21, 27 25:3 26:10) but elsewhere in the New Testament only Mat_2:16 and 2Th_2:8, R.T. It is frequent in the LXX and also in medical writers in the sense of "taking away" or removing. "

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 22:20. Καὶ αὐτὸς, even I myself) The converted man retains the humble remembrance of his sins, and always confesses them.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 22:20 . τοῦ μ . σου : he identifies himself with Stephen, his testimony like that of the martyr is borne to Christ; on the word see p. 67; the term is here in a transition stage from “witness” to “martyr,” cf. also Rev 17:6 : Hackett quotes the Christians of Lyons, towards the close of the second century, refusing to be called “martyrs” because such an honourable name only belonged to the true and faithful Witness, or to those who had sealed their testimony by constancy to the end, and they feared lest they should waver: Euseb., Hist. , v., 2. καὶ αὐτὸς , cf. Act 8:13 , Act 15:32 , Act 21:24 , Act 24:15-16 , Act 25:22 , Act 27:36 , here it is placed in sharp contrast to the preceding words about Stephen (with whose witness he was now identified). On καὶ αὐτὸς as characteristic of Luke in his Gospel and Acts see Hawkins, Horæ Synopticæ , p. 33, as compared with its employment by the other Synoptists, sometimes it is inserted with emphasis, Plummer on Luk 1:16 . συνευδ ., see note on Act 8:1 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This is properly spoken: for Stephen was murdered of a sort of cutthroats, not by order of justice, but by open force: for at that time the Jews could not put any man to death by Law.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 20. When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed] See Clarke on Ac 7:58; and See Clarke on Ac 8:1. All these things Paul alleged as reasons why he could not expect to be received by the Christians; for how could they suppose that such a persecutor could be converted?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(20) When the blood of thy martyr Stephen . . . .—Better, thy witness. The English word is, perhaps, a little too definite and technical, and fails to remind us, as the Greek does, that the same word had been used in Act_22:15 as expressing the office to which St. Paul himself was called. He probably used the Aramaic word Edh, of which the Greek martus (witness, and, in ecclesiastical Greek, martyr) was the natural equivalent.

Consenting unto his death.—The self-same word is used as in Act_8:1, not, we may believe, without the feeling which the speaker had lately expressed in Rom_1:32, that that state of mind involved a greater guilt than those who had been acting blindly,—almost in what John Huss called the sancta simplicitas of devout ignorance—in the passionate heat of fanaticism. The words “unto his death” are wanting in the best MSS., but are obviously implied.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. thy martyr Stephen] Better, “Stephen, thy witness.” The Greek word had not yet come to be applied as it afterwards was to those Christians who bore witness to the truth by their death.

and consenting unto his death] The oldest authorities omit the last three words, which are added to bring the phrase into exact accord with Act_8:1.

kept the raiment] cp. Act_7:58.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they gave him audience unto this word..... The Ethiopic version reads, "and I heard him so speaking unto me"; as if it was to be understood of the apostle hearing Christ speaking to him concerning his mission to the Gentiles; whereas the words refer to the Jews attending quietly to the apostle, till he came to that part of his oration. They heard him patiently, and did not offer to molest him, or hinder his speaking, and being heard, till he came to mention his mission to the Gentiles: all the rest they either did not understand, or looked upon it as an idle tale, as the effect of madness and enthusiasm, at least as containing things they had nothing to do with; but when he came to speak of the Gentiles, and to pretend to a divine mission to them, this they could not bear; for nothing was more offensive, irritating, and provoking to them, than to hear of the calling of the Gentiles, whom they were for depriving of all blessings, and for engrossing all to themselves; see Rom 10:20.

and then lift up their voices; in a very loud and clamorous manner, as one man:

and said, away with such a fellow from the earth; take away his life from the earth: this they said either to the chief captain, to do it, or as encouraging one another to do it:

for it is not fit that he should live; he does not deserve to live, he is unworthy of life; it is not agreeable to the rules of justice that he should be spared; it is not convenient, and it may be of bad consequence should he be continued any longer; he may do a deal of mischief, and poison the minds of the people with bad notions, and therefore it is not expedient that he should live.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Ver. 20. When the blood of thy martyr] An honour not afforded to any angel in heaven, said Father Latimer. God forgive me mine unthankfulness, said Bradford, for this, that I must die a martyr, that Christ will be magnified in my mortal body, whether it be by life or by death. Stephen, Christ’s proto-martyr! Antipas, my faithful martyr! what a high style is this! Ignatius professed that he would rather he a martyr than a monarch. He called his bonds his spiritual pearls, and triumphed in his voyage to Rome to suffer, to think that his blood should be found among the mighty worthies, such as Abel, Stephen, Antipas, &c. {a}

{a} τα δεσμα απεριφερω τους πνευματικους μαργαριτας. Ep. ad Ephes.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed - See Act 7:58; Act 8:1.

I also was standing by - Act 7:58.

And consenting unto his death - Act 8:1.

And kept the raiment - The outer robes or garments, which were usually laid aside when they engaged in running or labor. See Act 7:58. All this showed that, though Paul was not engaged in stoning Stephen, yet he was with them in spirit, and fully accorded with what they did. These circumstances are mentioned here by him as reasons why he knew that he would not be received by Christians as one of their number, and why it was necessary, therefore, for him to turn to the Gentile world.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Of Stephen, thy witness. Or thy martyr, as the Greek word signifies. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Martyr is a Greek word, that signifies a witness; and is here, and since by the ecclesiastical writers, appropriated unto such as suffer death for the testimony they give to the truths of God, or doctrine of the gospel.

Consenting unto his death; as Act 8:1.

Of them that slew him; that is, of the witnesses against Stephen, as Act 7:58. For the witnesses did slay him not only by the testimony which they gave against him, but they were to be the first who stoned him.

Slew him; or murdered him.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Thy martyr—The English word martyr is pure Greek, and signifies witness; being the same word as is used in Act_22:15. But the word was early and beautifully consecrated to designate those who witnessed to Jesus with their blood; as the word confessor designated those who maintained fast faith through a persecution which they survived. The Greek word for witness is properly rendered in Rev_17:6, “the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” One of the apostolic fathers, Clement of Rome, says of Peter, “Being martyred, he went to his due peace of glory.”

This reference to Stephen must have thrilled the heart of Paul himself with emotion at the recollection of his own share in that deed of blood with some of his murderers now present, and ready to inflict upon himself the same doom.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by - A real convert still retains the remembrance of his former sins. He confesses thorn and is humbled for them, all the days of his life.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 17

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ omitted with אABE. Not represented in Vulg.

20. Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου, of Stephen, thy witness. The Greek word μάρτυς had not yet come to be applied, as it afterwards was, to those Christians who bore witness to the truth by their death.

συνευδοκῶν, consenting. On the force of ἤμην with the participle, which here implies that Saul took a share in the proceedings from first to last, see the previous verse.

καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια, and kept the raiment. See on Act 7:58.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. μάρτυρός σου] “E. V. ‘thy martyr,’ following Beza: Vulg., and Erasm, testis tui. The Apostle may have here used the (Hebrew, עֵד, as Wordsworth) word in its strict primary sense; for a view of Christ in His glory was vouchsafed to Stephen, and it was by bearing witness of that manifestation that he hastened his death (ch. 7:55 ff.). The present meaning of the word martyr did, however, become attached to it at a very early period, and is apparently of apostolic authority: e.g. Rev 17:6, and 1Co_5, p. 217 (cited in note on ch. 1:25).… The transition from the first to the secondary sense may be easily accounted for. Many who had only seen with the eye of faith, suffered persecution and death as a proof of their sincerity. For such constancy the Greek had no adequate term. It was necessary for the Christians to provide one. None was more appropriate than μάρτυρ, seeing what had been the fate of those whom Christ had appointed to be His witnesses (ch. 1:8). They almost all suffered: hence to witness became a synonym for to suffer; while the suffering was in itself a kind of testimony.” (Mr. Humphry.) Bp. Wordsworth well designates this introduction of the name of Stephen “A noble endeavour to make public reparation for a public sin, by public confession in the same place where the sin was committed.”

καὶ αὐτός] I myself also.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Martyr. Better, as Rev., witness. The special sense of the word was probably not in use at this time. See on ch. Act 1:22. It occurs, however, in Rev 2:13; Rev 17:6.

Standing by. See on verse 13.

Consenting [συνευδοκων] . See on allow, Luk 11:48; and compare Act 8:1.

Slew. See on Luk 23:32.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.