Acts 22:20

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.

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.'

Contemporary English Version
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."

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.'

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 in Tarsus of Cilicia, but nurtured in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, - trained after the strictness of our ancestral law; being jealous for God just as, all ye, are this day; ⁴ and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women: - ⁵ as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership, - from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished. ⁶ But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-day - suddenly - out of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me; ⁷ I fell also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me - Saul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting? ⁸ And, I, answered - Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me - I, am Jesus the Nazarene, whom, thou, art persecuting! ⁹ Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with me ¹⁰ And said - What shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto me - Arise, and be going thy way into Damascus, and, there, shall it be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. ¹¹ But, as I could not see clearly owing to the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them who were with me, I came into Damascus. ¹² And, one Ananias, a man devout according to the law, well-attested by all the Jews that dwelt 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
And Terah lived seventy years, - and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 11:29
And Abram and Nahor took to themselves wives; the name of Abrams wife, was Sarai; and, the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, daughter of Haran father of Milcah, and father of Iscah.

Genesis 24:10
Then took the servant ten camels, from among the camels of his lord, and went his way, - all the goods of his master being in his hand, - so be mounted, and went his way unto Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

Genesis 24:15
And it came to pass, ere yet, he, had done speaking, that lo! Rebekah, was coming forth who had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, - with her pitcher upon her shoulder,

Genesis 24:24
And she said unto him, Daughter of Bethuel, am, I, - Bethuel son of Milcah whom she bare to Nahor.

Genesis 31:53
The Gods of Abraham and the Gods of Nahor judge betwixt us - the Gods of their fathers. And Jacob sware by the Dread of his father Isaac:

Proverbs 25:25
As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is a good report from a far country.

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 shed — Acts 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?