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Verse 1. - Brethren for men, brethren, A.V. (Acts 7:2, note); the for my, A.V.; now make for make now, A.V. The defense; ἀπολογία This is the technical word in classical Greek for a defense in answer to an accusation. Thus e.g. the oration of Gorgias entitled, Υπὲρ Παλαμήδους ἀπολογία, begins, Ἡ μὲν κατηγορία καὶ ἡ ἀπολογία κρίσις οὐ περὶ θανάτου γίγνεται. And Demosthenes opposes κατηγρσεῖν to accuse, to ἀπολογεῖσθαι, to make one's defense. And an ἀπολογία δικαία καὶ ἁπλῆ is to prove that τὰ κατηγορημένα, "the things of which the person is accused," were never done. But it is probably from St. Paul's use of the word here that it became common to call the defenses of the Christian religion by the term ἀπολογία. Thus we have the 'Apologies' of Justin Martyr, of Tertullian, of Minutius Felix, among the ancients; me 'Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae,' by Bishop Jewel, and many others.

Verse 2. - Unto them in the Hebrew language for in the Hebrew tongue to them, A.V.; were the more quiet for kept the more silence, A.V. When they heard, etc. This trait is wonderfully true to nature, and exhibits also St. Paul's admirable tact and self-possession. It was strikingly in harmony with his addressing them as "brethren" that he should speak to them in their own mother tongue. There is a living reality in such touches which seems at once to refute Renan's suspicion that St. Luke invented this and other of St. Paul's speeches in the later chapters of the Acts. The full report of these later speeches is abundantly accounted for by the fact that through this time St. Luke was with St. Paul, and heard the speeches.

Verse 3. - A Jew for verily a man which am a Jew, A.V. and T.R.; of Cilicia for a city in Cilicia, A.V.; but for yet, A.V.; instructed for and taught, A.V.; strict for perfect, A.V.; our for the, A.V.; being for and was, A.V.; for for towards, A.V.; even as for as, A.V. Born in Tarsus, etc. (see Acts 21:39). St. Paul was evidently proud of his native city, "the famous capital of a Roman province," watered by the "swift stream of the Cydnus," and looked down upon by the snowy summits of Mount Taurus; "a center of busy commercial enterprise and political power;" "a free city, libera ct immunis" (Farrar, 'Life of St. Paul,' vol. 1. Acts 2.). St. Paul's express assertion that he was "born at Tarsus" directly refutes the tradition handed down by St. Jerome that he was horn at Giscala, and carried thence to Tarsus by his parents when Giscala was taken by the Romans (Farrar, ibid.). Brought up; ἀνατεθραμμένος, a classical word, only found in the New Testament in the Acts (Acts 7:20, 21, and here). It is found also in Wisd. 7:4. It implies early education. At the feet of. The scholar sits or stands humbly beneath the raised seat of the teacher (comp. Luke 10:39). The stop is rightly placed after Γαμαλιὴλ. Some, however, put the stop after ταύτῃ, and connect παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιὴλ with πεπαιδευμένος. Gamaliel (see Acts 4, 5:3, note). Instructed according to the strict manner of the Law of our fathers; comp. Galatians 1:14, "I profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers," where for τοῦ πατρῳου νόμου we read τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων. Under the πατρῴος νόμος Paul probably included the traditions, as well as the written Law, which the Pharisees so rigidly observed (comp. Acts 26:5,where the ἀκριβεστάτην αἵρεσιντῆς ἡμετέρας θρησκείας corresponds with the ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρώου νόμου) The strict manner; κατὰ ἀκριβείαν, found only here in the New Testament; but a word of repeated use in this sense in Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom, and also, with the adjective ἀκρίβης and the adverb ἀκριβῶς, much used by medical writers. Ἀκριβέστερος and ἀκριβέστατος are used by St. Luke only (Acts 18:26; Acts 23:15, 20; Acts 24:22; Acts 26:5), and ἀκριβῶς six times to three in the rest of the New Testament. Zealous for God (ζηλωτὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ); see Acts 21:20, note.

Verse 4. - I persecuted (see 1 Corinthians 15:9; 1 Timothy 1:13; and Acts 26:11). This Way (see Acts 9:2; Acts 18:25; Acts 19:9, 23). Unto the death (comp. Acts 9:1). Binding, etc. (comp. Acts 8:3; Acts 9:2).

Verse 5. - Journeyed for went, A.V.; them also for them, A.V.; unto Jerusalem in beads for bound unto Jerusalem, A.V. The high priest. Ananias, the present high priest, who may have been one of St. Paul's hearers included among the "fathers," and who had probably been already a member of the Sanhedrim at the time of St. Paul's conversion (see Acts 23:2; Acts 24:1). Others, however, understand "the high priest" to mean him who was high priest at the time of St. Paul's journey to Damascus, viz. Theophilus, who was still alive. The brethren. The Jews at Damascus. St, Paul speaks to his hearers emphatically as a Jew. To be punished (ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν); whether by rods or by death. The word occurs in the New Testament only here and Acts 26:11, but is not infrequent in the LXX. and in classical writers; τιμωρεῖν is common in medical language in the sense of "to treat medically," to "correct" by medical treatment.

Verse 6. - Drew nigh for was come nigh, A.V. The phraseology of the following narrative is nearly identical with that of Acts 9:3-6 (where see notes).

Verse 9. - Beheld for saw, A.V. Beheld indeed the light [and were afraid, A.V.]. This corresponds with the statement in Acts 9:7, that the men who journeyed with Saul "stood speechless." They were dazzled and amazed at the sudden brightness. But they heard not the voice. This at first sight seems inconsistent with the statement in Acts 9:7, "hearing the voice." But the apparent inconsistency disappears when we observe that here St. Paul wished to impress upon his hearers that, though his companions had seen the light, they had not heard the words which were addressed to him by the Lord Jesus (see ver. 14); whereas St. Luke, in the narrative in Acts 9, wished rather to insist upon the fact that though the men had seen the light and heard the sound of the voice, they had not seen Jesus. To see and hear the risen Christ was a privilege given to St. Paul alone.

Verse 11. - When I could not see (comp. Acts 9:8, and note). Them that were with me (τῶν συνόντων μοι). Συνεῖναι occurs only here and Luke 9:18, but is used several times by the LXX. It is very common in medical waters for the accompanying symptoms of a disease.