Acts 22:12

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,

American Standard Version (1901)

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,

Bible in Basic English

And one Ananias, a God-fearing man, who kept the law, and of whom all the Jews in that place had a high opinion,

Douay-Rheims 1899

And one Ananias, a man according to the law, having testimony of all the Jews who dwelt there,

Free Bible Version

There a man called Ananias came to see me. He was a religious man who observed the law, and was highly respected by the Jews who lived in the town.

Geneva Bible 1599

And one Ananias a godly man, as perteining to the Lawe, hauing good report of all the Iewes which dwelt there,

King James (Authorized) Version

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

Plain English Version

A Jewish man lived in that town. He respected God, and he properly followed our Jewish laws. His name was Ananias. All the Jewish people living in Damascus said that he was a good man.

Translation for Translators

A couple of days later, a man whose name was Ananias came to see me. He was a man who greatly respected God and carefully obeyed our Jewish laws. All the Jews living in Damascus said good things about him.

Unlocked Literal Bible

There I met a man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there.

Noah Webster Bible

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews who dwelt there ,

World English Bible

“One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

Young's Literal Translation

and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

Context

Paul’s Defense to the Crowd

¹¹Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.¹²There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,¹³came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.

Summary

In Acts 22:12, we see Ananias, a devout observer of the law and highly respected by the Jews, testifying about the righteousness of Paul before the Jewish council. This demonstrates how God can use unexpected individuals to testify on behalf of His chosen servants. Ananias' testimony serves as a reminder that God's ways are higher than our ways, and He can work through anyone to accomplish His purposes. It also shows the importance of having a good reputation and character in the eyes of others, as it can influence their perception of our faith and credibility.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Ananias, a devout man, according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there--One would not know from this description of Ananias that he was a Christian at all, the apostles object being to hold him up as unexceptionable, even to the most rigid Jews.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And he said, the God of our fathers hath chosen thee,.... From all eternity, in his everlasting purposes and decrees; or "he hath taken thee into his hand"; in order to form, and fit, and qualify him for his service; and may design both his call by grace, and to apostleship. The apostle represents Ananias as speaking of God, as the God of the Jewish fathers, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to show that the Christian doctrine was not contrary to the faith of the one God of Israel; nor did it introduce any other, or any new deity. The ends of this choice or separation were, that thou shouldest know his will; his revealed will, concerning the salvation of men by Jesus Christ, which is no other than the Gospel, of which the apostle had been entirely ignorant; for though he knew the will of God, as revealed in the law, or his will of command, yet not spiritually; and he was altogether a stranger, till now, to God's will, way, and method of saving sinners by Christ, of justifying them by his righteousness, and of pardoning their sins through his blood, and of giving them eternal life by him; and the knowledge of this he came at by the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in consequence of his being chosen and called: and see that just One: Jesus Christ the righteous, who is both as he is God, and as he is man, and also as he is Mediator, having faithfully discharged his office, and performed his engagements; him the apostle saw, both with the eyes of his body, when he met him in the way, and called unto him, and with the eyes of his understanding beholding his beauty, fulness, and suitableness as a Saviour; the former of these was what many kings, prophets, and righteous men desired: and the latter is what is inseparably connected with eternal life and salvation. And shouldest hear the voice of his mouth; both his human voice in articulate sounds, when he spoke to him in the Hebrew tongue, as in Act 22:7 and the voice of his Gospel, of which he appeared to make him a minister; which is a voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation, and is very powerful when accompanied by the Spirit, and is soul charming, alluring, and comforting.