1 Viri fratres, et patres, audite quam ad vos nunc reddo rationem.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "He spake unto them," it says, "in the Hebrew tongue, saying, Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you." Mark his address, at once so free from all flattery, and so expressive of meekness.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "Men, brethren, hear ye the account which I now give unto you," etc. Paul, being inclined to simplicity of heart, told the people, in order, how he had been chosen by the Lord when he was a persecutor of the church; he did not even fail to mention, with a broken heart, his crime relating to Stephen's blood; but he said that he had heard from the Lord, whom he could not oppose,…
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 The expression "fathers" is a sign of respect, and the expression "brethren" is an indication of kinship. Notice, his speech is both free from flattery and full of gentleness. He did not say "lords," but "brothers," which was especially pleasing to the people. I am not a stranger to you, he says, nor am I against you.
2 Cum audissent autem quia hebræa lingua loqueretur ad illos, magis præstiterunt silentium.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence." Do you observe how the using the same tongue subdued them? In fact, they had a sort of awe for that language.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "And when they heard that he spoke… in the Hebrew language." You see how it affected them that he spoke the same language as they did — they had a certain kind of respect for that language.
3 Et dicit: Ego sum vir Judæus, natus in Tarso Ciliciæ, nutritus autem in ista civitate, secus pedes Gamaliel eruditus juxta veritatem paternæ legis, æmulator legis, sicut et vos omnes estis hodie:
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "I am a man," he says, "which am a Jew:" which thing they liked most of all to hear; "born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia." That they may not again think him to be of another nation, he adds his religion: "but brought up in this city." He shows how great was his zeal for the worship, inasmuch as having left his native city, which was so great and so remote too, he chose to be bro…
Bede · AD 735 Educated according to the truth, being a zealot of the paternal law. In Greek it is added more: Being a zealot of God, according to that in Romans: For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 With such a beginning he paves the way for his speech: "I," he says, "am a Jew." To hear this was most pleasant of all for them.
4 qui hanc viam persecutus sum usque ad mortem, alligans et tradens in custodias viros ac mulieres,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 He brings forward as witnesses the high priest and the elders. On the one hand, [Paul] makes himself their equal when he says, "I being a zealot just as you," but then he shows through his deeds that he was a greater zealot than they. "I wasn't waiting around," he says, "to arrest them, but I was even stirring up the priests and being sent abroad.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "A zealot," he says. Since Paul had already spoken many praises of himself, he summarizes: "As you all are today." But pay attention to how many witnesses he appeals to: both the elders, and the high priest, and the citizens. Up to this point he has witnesses; but the subsequent content of the speech no longer finds witnesses.
5 sicut princeps sacerdotum mihi testimonium reddit, et omnes majores natu: a quibus et epistolas accipiens, ad fratres Damascum pergebam, ut adducerem inde vinctos in Jerusalem ut punirentur.
Pseudo-Clement · AD 400 "But our friends lifted him up, for they were both more numerous and more powerful than the others; but, from their fear of God, they rather suffered themselves to be killed by an inferior force, than they would kill others. But when the evening came the priests shut up the temple, and we returned to the house of James, and spent the night there in prayer.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Did you see how by his very experience in these things [Paul] has taught all of us that he deserved to be judged worthy of kindness from above and to be led to the path of truth?
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 So that they would not think this was an invention, Paul shows that he did everything out of love and zeal, and not out of vainglory.
6 Factum est autem, eunte me, et appropinquante Damasco media die, subito de cælo circumfulsit me lux copiosa:
7 et decidens in terram, audivi vocem dicentem mihi: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris?
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And I answered, Who are Thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou persecutest." Well is the name of the city (Nazareth) also added, that they might recognize the Person: moreover, the Apostles also spoke thus.
Bede · AD 735 Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? In Greek, in this place as well it is added: It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
8 Ego autem respondi: Quis es, domine? Dixitque ad me: Ego sum Jesus Nazarenus, quem tu persequeris.
Irenaeus · AD 202 But again, we allege the same against those who do not recognise Paul as an apostle: that they should either reject the other words of the Gospel which we have come to know through Luke alone, and not make use of them; or else, if they do receive all these, they must necessarily admit also that testimony concerning Paul, when he (Luke) tells us that the Lord spoke at first to h…
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 It ought not to be forgotten that in such a Gospel as this there is embraced every good deed that was done to Jesus; as, for example, the story of the woman who had been a prostitute and had repented, and who, having experienced a genuine recovery from her evil state, had grace to pour her ointment over Jesus so that every one in the house smelled the sweet savor.
9 Et qui mecum erant, lumen quidem viderunt, vocem autem non audierunt ejus qui loquebatur mecum.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "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." But in another place he says, "Hearing the voice, but seeing no man." It is not at variance: no, there were two voices, that of Paul and the Lord's voice: in that place, the writer means Paul's voice; as in fact Paul here adds, "The voice of Him that spake u…
Arator · AD 544 Paul, speaking of his deeds, says that his companions saw the light there some time ago, yet that they did not drink in the voice with their ears; but then, at the time when he fell blind, his companions are said also to have heard the voice. Thus the work of the narrator varies.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 This was done with purpose, since he alone was to hear that voice. And since rather ordinary people trust sight more, those who were with Saul only "saw the light and were filled with fear; but did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me." And the light produced such an effect not for them, but for Saul; therefore it deprived him of sight, and not them; but at the time when t…
10 Et dixi: Quid faciam, domine? Dominus autem dixit ad me: Surgens vade Damascum: et ibi tibi dicetur de omnibus quæ te oporteat facere.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "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." "Enter into the city," it says, "and there it shall be spoken to thee of all that is appointed for thee to do." Lo! again another witness.
11 Et cum non viderem præ claritate luminis illius, ad manum deductus a comitibus, veni Damascum.
Tertullian · AD 220 It was of Him, too, that he had said in a previous passage: "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to the only God; " so that we might apply even the contrary qualities to the Son Himself-mortality, accessibility-of whom the apostle testifies that "He died according to the Scriptures," and that "He was seen by himself last of all," -by means, of course, of the light w…
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "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." See how great was the excess of the light.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "Those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus." The mention of the city is fittingly added so that the Jews would know that Saul was a persecutor. Paul-Saul interweaves the testimonies of persons with the testimonies of circumstances, both those concerning himself and those concerning others; the witnesses are the priests, the elders, the companions.
12 Ananias autem quidam vir secundum legem, testimonium habens ab omnibus cohabitantibus Judæis,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "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 see how unexceptionable he makes him also. "And one Ananias," he says, "a devout man according to the law," - so far is it from being anything alien!
13 veniens ad me et astans, dixit mihi: Saule frater, respice. Et ego eadem hora respexi in eum.
14 At ille dixit: Deus patrum nostrorum præordinavit te, ut cognosceres voluntatem ejus, et videres justum, et audires vocem ex ore ejus:
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know His will, and see That Just One." It is well said, "Of the fathers," to show that they were not Jews, but aliens from the law, and that it was not from zeal for the law that they were acting. "That thou shouldest know His will." Why then His will is this.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 He said beautifully: "The God of our fathers," in order to show that they are not Jews, but apostates from the law, and that they do not act out of zeal for God. "He saw the Righteous One." He speaks so directly and forcefully, because if Jesus is the Righteous One, then they are transgressors.
15 quia eris testis illius ad omnes homines eorum quæ vidisti et audisti.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "For thou shall be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard." "And hear the voice of His mouth." See how high he raises the fact!
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 Because you will not betray nor forget what you have seen and heard. "What you have seen and heard." The Lord persuades Saul by means of both senses, that is, by means of sight and hearing.
16 Et nunc quid moraris? Exsurge, et baptizare, et ablue peccata tua, invocato nomine ipsius.
Cyprian · AD 258 Since sins are not remitted save in the baptism of the Church, he who admits a heretic to communion without baptism does two things against reason: he does not cleanse the heretics, and he befouls the Christians.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His name." Here it is a great thing he has uttered. For he said not, "Be baptized in His name:" but, "calling on the name of Christ." It shows that He is God: since it is not lawful to "call upon" any other, save God.
17 Factum est autem revertenti mihi in Jerusalem, et oranti in templo, fieri me in stupore mentis,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And when I was come again to Jerusalem," etc. How was it, that being a Jew, and there brought up and taught, he did not stay there? Nor did he abide there, unless he had a mind to furnish numberless occasions against him: everywhere just like an exile, fleeing about from place to place.
Bede · AD 735 But it happened that when I was returning to Jerusalem and praying in the temple, I fell into a trance, and saw him. For the trance of the mind, some Codices have a mental ecstasy, others a fear, others an alienation. For what is called ecstasis in Greek is variously interpreted in Latin.
18 et videre illum dicentem mihi: Festina, et exi velociter ex Jerusalem: quoniam non recipient testimonium tuum de me.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Then wherefore did the Providence of God order that he should go thither, and yet the Lord had said, "Get thee out quickly from Jerusalem?" That both their wickedness might be shown and Christ's prophecy made good, that they would not endure to hear him: and so that all might learn that he was ready to suffer all things, and that the event might be for the consolation of those…
19 Et ego dixi: Domine, ipsi sciunt quia ego eram concludens in carcerem, et cædens per synagogas eos qui credebant in te:
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen," etc. See where again his discourse terminates, namely, in the forcible main point: that it was he that persecuted, and not only persecuted but killed, nay, had he ten thousand hands would have used them all to kill Stephen. He reminded them of the murderous spirit heinously indulged by him and them.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 Why did he say "it is known to them?" He said this not contradicting Christ, but wishing to understand such an incomprehensible thing. But Christ did not explain it to him, and only told him to go.
20 et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis tui, ego astabam, et consentiebam, et custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "And when the blood of Stephen was being shed." He reminded them of one cruel murder, when Stephen was reproving them at that time, and they could not endure it.
21 Et dixit ad me: Vade, quoniam ego in nationes longe mittam te.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 See how he thrusts himself into danger. I came, he says, after that vision, "to Jerusalem. I was in a trance," etc. Again, this is without witness: but observe, the witness follows from the result. He said, "They will not receive thy testimony:" they did not receive it.
22 Audiebant autem eum usque ad hoc verbum, et levaverunt vocem suam, dicentes: Tolle de terra hujusmodi: non enim fas est eum vivere.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And they lifted up their voices," it says, "and said, Away with him: it is not fit that this fellow should live." Nay, ye are the persons not fit to live; not he, who in everything obeys God.
23 Vociferantibus autem eis, et projicientibus vestimenta sua, et pulverem jactantibus in aërem,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And shaking out their clothes," it says, "they threw dust into the air," to make insurrection more fierce, because they wished to frighten the governor. And observe; they do not say what the charge was, as in fact they had nothing to allege, but only think to strike terror by their shouting. "The tribune commanded," etc.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "And as they cried out and threw off their garments," etc. As the Jews made an uproar and threw dust up into the sky, the tribune commanded Paul to be brought into the castle.
Bede · AD 735 As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air. In the Lord's passion, the priest alone leaping from the throne tears his garments, because then the old priesthood was to be changed to the new.
24 jussit tribunus induci eum in castra, et flagellis cædi, et torqueri eum, ut sciret propter quam causam sic acclamarent ei.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 But since they were crying out, it was necessary to find out from them, to ask them what they found suspicious in Paul's words; but the tribune simply caters to those in power and acts to please them, because he was not concerned with how to act more justly, but with how to calm their anger, even though it was unjust.
25 Et cum astrinxissent eum loris, dicit astanti sibi centurioni Paulus: Si hominem Romanum et indemnatum licet vobis flagellare?
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "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?" Paul lied not, God forbid: for he was a Roman. If there was nothing else, he would have been afraid to pretend this, lest he should be found out, and suffer a worse punishment.
Theodoret of Cyrus · AD 458 For the divine command made what seems shameful honorable. Thus the apostle called himself at one time a Pharisee and at another a Roman, not because he was afraid of death but because it was fair to do so in a fight. Likewise he appealed to Caesar upon learning of the Jews' plot against him.
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?" Paul did not lie in saying that he was a Roman, because his father, for the sake of status, had purchased this title with money, since those deemed worthy of being called by this name enjoyed great honor. Paul says this so that, in the event of his punishment, they would not begin to treat him with contempt.
26 Quo audito, centurio accessit ad tribunum, et nuntiavit ei, dicens: Quid acturus es? hic enim homo civis Romanus est.
27 Accedens autem tribunus, dixit illi: Dic mihi si tu Romanus es? At ille dixit: Etiam.
28 Et respondit tribunus: Ego multa summa civilitatem hanc consecutus sum. Et Paulus ait: Ego autem et natus sum.
Tertullian · AD 220 Let it suffice to the martyr to have purged his own sins: it is the part of ingratitude or of pride to lavish upon others also what one has obtained at a high price. Who has redeemed another's death by his own, but the Son of God alone? For even in His very passion He set the robber free.
Oecumenius · AD 550 But how is it possible to be both from Tarsus and a Roman? Hear then the Philippians, when they dragged Paul and Silas before the rulers into the marketplace, since the Pythoness' slave-girl was released, what do they say?
Theophylact of Ohrid · AD 1107 "But Paul said: and I was born in it." Look: his father too was a Roman. Before Paul was born, Cilicia had already come under Roman rule, and therefore his father, as one who had come under their authority, necessarily had to be a Roman. Paul, according to the prophecy, was bound in Jerusalem, and the prophetic word was fulfilled. What happens next?
29 Protinus ergo discesserunt ab illo qui eum torturi erant. Tribunus quoque timuit postquam rescivit, quia civis Romanus esset, et quia alligasset eum.
Oecumenius · AD 550 But later he was bound in Jerusalem according to the prophecy. What then follows from this? Having loosened him, he led him before the Jews. Therefore it was not a falsehood. For the tribune feared, he says, having recognized that he is a Roman, that is, of the class of officials.
Bede · AD 735 The tribune also feared, after he discovered that he was a Roman citizen. For citizen, the same word in Greek is placed, which above was for inhabitant, that is, πολίτης.
30 Postera autem die volens scire diligentius qua ex causa accusaretur a Judæis, solvit eum, et jussit sacerdotes convenire, et omne concilium: et producens Paulum, statuit inter illos.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty whereof 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." This he should have done at the outset. He brought him in, loosed. This above all the Jews would not know what to make of.