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Contemporary English Version

Acts 22:20

Stephen was killed because he spoke for you, and I stood there and cheered them on. I even guarded the clothes of the men who murdered him."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Paul;   Stephen;   Temple;   Vision;   Thompson Chain Reference - Connivance;   Stephen;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Lysias;   Martyr;   Stephen;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Martyr;   Paul;   Witness;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Antonia;   Martyr;   Stephen;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Barnabas;   Stephen;   Trance;   Witnesses;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Flogging;   Paul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Damascus;   Paul the Apostle;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Blood;   Libertines;   Martyr;   Paul;   Rapture Ecstasy;   Stoning;   Witness (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Martyr;   Stephen;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Washing;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Claudius;   Stephen;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Trance;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Martyr;   Stephen;   Witness;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I stood there giving approval and guarding the clothes of those who killed him.’
King James Version (1611)
And when ye blood of thy martyr Steuen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting vnto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.'
New American Standard Bible
'And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby and approving, and watching over the cloaks of those who were killing him.'
New Century Version
They also know I was there when Stephen, your witness, was killed. I stood there agreeing and holding the coats of those who were killing him!'
Amplified Bible
'And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby approving and consenting [to his death], and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
'And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.'
Legacy Standard Bible
And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and guarding the garments of those who were slaying him.'
Berean Standard Bible
And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.'
Complete Jewish Bible
also that when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there too, in full agreement; I was even looking after the clothes of the ones who were killing him!'
Darby Translation
and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him.
Easy-to-Read Version
The people also know that I was there when Stephen, your witness, was killed. I stood there and agreed that they should kill him. I even held the coats of the men who were killing him!'
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the blood of thy martyr Steuen was shed, I also stood by, and consented vnto his death, & kept the clothes of them that slew him.
George Lamsa Translation
And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and was in accord with his slayers, and was in charge of the garments of them who stoned him.
Good News Translation
And when your witness Stephen was put to death, I myself was there, approving of his murder and taking care of the cloaks of his murderers.'
Lexham English Bible
And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself also was standing near and was approving, and was guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.'
Literal Translation
And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was poured out, I myself also was standing by and consenting to his execution, and holding the garments of those killing him.
American Standard Version
and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.
Bible in Basic English
And when Stephen your witness was put to death, I was there, giving approval, and looking after the clothing of those who put him to death.
Hebrew Names Version
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
International Standard Version
Even when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there approving it and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.'Luke 11:48; Acts 7:58; 8:1; Romans 1:32;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And when the blood of thy martyr Estephanos was shed, I also stood with them, and fulfilled the will of his murderers, and kept the garments of them who stoned him.
Murdock Translation
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing with them, and performed the pleasure of his slayers, and took charge of the garments of those that stoned him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the blood of thy wytnesse Steuen was shedde, I also stoode by, and consented vnto his death, and kept the rayment of them that slue hym.
English Revised Version
and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.
World English Bible
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting to his death, and kept the garments of them that slew him.
Weymouth's New Testament
and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness, I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes of those who were killing him.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the blood of Steuene, thi witnesse, was sched out, Y stood niy, and consentide, and kept the clothis of men that slowen hym.
Update Bible Version
and when the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of those that slew him.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
New English Translation
And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing nearby, approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.'
New King James Version
And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, [fn] and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'
New Living Translation
And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.'
New Life Bible
Also when Stephen was killed, I stood there and watched them throw stones at him. Those who threw the stones had me watch their coats.'
New Revised Standard
And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I stood by and consented: and kept the garments of them that killed him.
Revised Standard Version
And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by and approving, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.'
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And when the bloud of thy witnes Steven was sheed I also stode by and consented vnto his deeth and kept the rayment of them that slewe him.
Young's Literal Translation
and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was being poured forth, I also was standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha the bloude of Steue thy witnesse was shed, I stode by also, & consented vnto his death, and kepte the clothes of them that slewe him.
Mace New Testament (1729)
that I was present, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, that I abetted the slaughter, and watch'd the clothes of those who slew him.
Simplified Cowboy Version
And when your cowboy Steve was killed, I held the jackets of the assassins and cheered them on. When they see my turn around, won't they see the truth?'

Contextual Overview

3 I am a Jew, born and raised in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. I was a student of Gamaliel and was taught to follow every single law of our ancestors. In fact, I was just as eager to obey God as any of you are today. 4 I made trouble for everyone who followed the Lord's Way, and I even had some of them killed. I had others arrested and put in jail. I didn't care if they were men or women. 5 The high priest and all the council members can tell you that this is true. They even gave me letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, so that I could arrest people there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 One day about noon I was getting close to Damascus, when a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking, "Saul, Saul, why are you so cruel to me?" 8 "Who are you?" I answered. The Lord replied, "I am Jesus from Nazareth! I am the one you are so cruel to." 9 The men who were traveling with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice. 10 I asked, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" Then he told me, "Get up and go to Damascus. When you get there, you will be told what to do." 11 The light had been so bright that I couldn't see. And the other men had to lead me by the hand to Damascus. 12 In that city there was a man named Ananias, who faithfully obeyed the Law of Moses and was well liked by all the Jewish people living there.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

martyr: Revelation 2:13, Revelation 17:6

Stephen: Acts 7:58, Acts 8:1

consenting: Luke 11:48, Romans 1:32

Reciprocal: Matthew 23:34 - ye Mark 13:9 - take Luke 11:49 - and some Acts 9:13 - how Acts 14:19 - having Acts 22:4 - I persecuted Acts 26:10 - I also

Cross-References

Genesis 11:26
After Terah was seventy years old, he had three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran, who became the father of Lot. Terah's sons were born in the city of Ur in Chaldea, and Haran died there before the death of his father. The following is the story of Terah's descendants.
Genesis 11:29
Abram married Sarai, but she was not able to have any children. And Nahor married Milcah, who was the daughter of Haran and the sister of Iscah.
Genesis 24:10
Soon after that, the servant loaded ten of Abraham's camels with valuable gifts. Then he set out for the city in northern Syria, where Abraham's brother Nahor lived.
Genesis 24:15
While he was still praying, a beautiful unmarried young woman came by with a water jar on her shoulder. She was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah walked past Abraham's servant, then went over to the well, and filled her water jar. When she started back,
Genesis 24:24
She answered, "My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah.
Genesis 31:53
My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement. Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God his father Isaac had worshiped.
Proverbs 25:25
Good news from far away refreshes like cold water when you are thirsty.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed,.... Stephen was a martyr for Christ, both by confession with his mouth, and by the effusion of his blood; he was the proto-martyr, or "the first martyr" that suffered for Christ; and there are copies, as one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, which so read in this place; his blood was shed by stoning:

I also was standing by; to see the inhuman action performed; nor was he an idle and indifferent spectator:

and consenting unto his death; being pleased and delighted with it, and rejoicing at it; see Acts 8:1.

and kept the raiment of them that slew him; the accusers of him, and witnesses against him, whose hands were first on him, and cast the first stones at him, and continued to stone him, until they killed him: these laid their garments at the feet of Saul, who looked after them, that nobody stole them, and run away with them, whilst they were stoning Stephen; which shows how disposed he was to that fact, and how much he approved of it: and these things he mentions to suggest that surely the Jews would receive his testimony, since they knew what a bitter enemy he had been to this way: and therefore might conclude, that he must have some very good and strong reasons, which had prevailed upon him to embrace this religion against all his prejudices, and so might be willing to hear them; and it also shows what an affection the apostle had for the Jews, and how much he desired their spiritual welfare, for which reason he chose to have stayed, and preached among them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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

I also was standing by - Acts 7:58.

And consenting unto his death - Acts 8:1.

And kept the raiment - The outer robes or garments, which were usually laid aside when they engaged in running or labor. See Acts 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 22:20. When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shedActs 7:58; Acts 7:58; and Acts 8:1; Acts 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?


 
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