Acts 22 · Verse 21

Acts 22:21

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Acts 22:21, King James Version

Acts 22:21 in other translations

BSBThen He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
WEB“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”
ASVAnd he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.
YLTand he said unto me, Go, because to nations far off I will send thee.'
DARBYAnd he said to me, Go, for I will send thee to the nations afar off.
BBEAnd he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.
WebsterAnd he said to me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence to the Gentiles.

What does Acts 22:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 22:17-21

17-21. it came to pass, &c.--This thrilling dialogue between the glorified Redeemer and his chosen vessel is nowhere else related. when I was come again to Jerusalem--on the occasion mentioned in Ac 9:26-29. while I prayed in the temple--He thus calls their attention to the fact that after his conversion he kept up his connection with the temple as before.

Read the full comment on Acts 22:17-21 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 21. And he said unto me, Depart. Because the Christians at Jerusalem would not receive him.

Far hence. Paul travelled far in the heathen nations. A large part of his time in the ministry was spent in remote countries, and in the most distant regions then known. Rom 15:19.

(m) "I will" Acts 13:2,47, Rom 1:5, 11:13, 15:16, Gal 2:7,8, Eph 3:7,8 1Timm 2:7

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles - This was the particular appointment of St. Paul: he was the apostle of the Gentiles; for, though he preached frequently to the Jews, yet to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, and to write for the conversion and establishment of the Gentile world, were his peculiar destination. Hence we find him and his companions travelling every where; through Judea, Phoenicia, Arabia, Syria, Cilicia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, Pamphylia, Galatia, Phrygia, Macedonia, Greece, Asia, the Isles of the Mediterranean Sea, the Isles of the Aegean Sea, Italy, and some add Spain and even Britain. This was the diocess of this primitive bishop: none of the apostles traveled, none preached, none labored as this man; and, we may add, none was so greatly owned of God. The epistles of Peter, John, James, and Jude, are great and excellent; but, when compared with those of Paul, however glorious they may be, they have no glory comparatively, by reason of that glory which excelleth. Next to Jesus Christ, St. Paul is the glory of the Christian Church. Jesus is the foundation; Paul, the master-builder.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 22:12-21

The apostle goes on to relate how he was confirmed in the change he had made. The Lord having chosen the sinner, that he should know his will, he is humbled, enlightened, and brought to the knowledge of Christ and his blessed gospel. Christ is here called that Just One; for he is Jesus Christ the righteous. Those whom God has chosen to know his will, must look to Jesus, for by him God has made known his good-will to…

Read the full comment on Acts 22:12-21 →

Acts 22:21 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
πρόςprostoG4314
με·meme;G3165
πορεύου,poreuoudo go,G4198
ὅτιhotiforG3754
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
εἰςeistoG1519
ἔθνηethnē[the] GentilesG1484
μακρὰνmakranfar awayG3112
ἐξαποστελῶexapostelōwill sendG1821
σε.¶seyou.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 22:21

  • Acts 9:15

    But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

  • 1 Timothy 2:7

    Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

  • Ephesians 3:6-8

    That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

  • Romans 15:16

    That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

  • Galatians 2:7-8

    But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

  • Romans 11:13

    For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

  • Acts 13:46-47

    Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

  • Galatians 1:15-16

    But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

  • 2 Timothy 1:11

    Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

  • Romans 1:5

    By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

  • Romans 16:26

    But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

  • Acts 18:6

    And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Depart.
9:15
for.
9:15; 13:2,46,47; 18:6; 26:17,18; Ro 1:5; 11:13; 15:16; 16:26
Ga 1:15,16; 2:7,8; Eph 3:6-8; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 22:20

    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.

  • Acts 22:21

    And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

  • Acts 22:22

    And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

Read all of Acts 22

Acts 22:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y me dijo: Ve, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos á los Gentiles.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il me dit: Va, car je t’enverrai au loin vers les nations.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und er sprach zu mir: Gehe hin, denn ich werde dich weit weg zu den Nationen senden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et dixit ad me: Vade, quoniam ego in nationes longe mittam te.