Acts 22:21 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away from here to the Gentiles.’” More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition And the Lord said to me, Go, for I will send you far away unto the Gentiles (nations). American Standard Version (1901) And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles. Common English Bible Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” Catholic Public Domain Version And he said to me, 'Go forth. For I am sending you to far away nations.' " Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And he said to me: Go, for unto the Gentiles afar off, will I send thee. |
As these men were ministering to the Lord [i.e., this probably means worshiping] and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to one of them by way of inspiration]: “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me, [commissioning them] to do the work for which I have called them.”
When the Jews resisted [Paul’s efforts] and spoke against him and his message, he shook out his clothing [i.e., an expression of rejection and contempt] and said to them “Let your blood be on your own heads [i.e., you are responsible for whatever harm comes from your action]; I am not responsible. From now on I will go [and preach] to the Gentiles [only].”
But the Lord replied to him, “Go on your way, for Saul is someone I have especially chosen to carry my name to the [unconverted] Gentiles, kings and the Israelites.
It was through Jesus, and for His name’s sake, that we [i.e., I] received God’s favor to become an apostle, in order to bring about obedience based on faith from among people of all nations.
Now I am talking to you Gentiles, [and] since I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I will make the most of my ministry [to you],
in appointing me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I am serving like a priest in preaching God’s good news, so that the Gentiles might be like an acceptable sacrifice [to God], dedicated by the Holy Spirit.
[It is] that God’s secret plan [i.e., revealed in the Gospel preached to Gentiles. See verse 6] was made known to me by way of a revelation. [See Acts 9:15; 22:21]. I have already written to you [about this] briefly [i.e., probably a reference to 1:9ff].
I was appointed to be a preacher [of this testimony] and an apostle and teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. (I am telling the truth and not lying).