The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

1 MEN, Brethren and fathers, hear mine excuse which I make now before you. 2 And when they heard that he spake to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence. And he said, 3 I truly am a man a Jew, borne in Tarsus a city of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God as ye all are this day: 4 And I persecuted this way unto death, binding & delivering into prison both men and women: 5 As the chief priest doth bear me witness, and all the order of Elders. Of whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there, bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished.

1 MEN, Brethren and fathers, heare mine excuse which I make nowe before you. 2 And when they heard that he spake to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence. And he said, 3 I truely am a man a Iewe, borne in Tharsus a citie of Cilicia, and brought vp in this citie at the feete of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect maner of the Lawe of the fathers, and was zealous towarde God as yee all are this day: 4 And I persecuted this way vnto death, binding & deliuering into prison both men and women: 5 As the chiefe priest doth beare me witnesse, and all the order of Elders. Of whom also I receiued letters vnto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there, bounde to Ierusalem that they might bee punished.

2 Though we may guess by the beginning of this speech, what was Paul his drift: yet because he was interrupted, we know not certainly what he was about to say. The sum of that part which is recited is this, that, Forasmuch as he was well and faithfully instructed in the doctrine of the Law, he was a godly and religious worshipper of God in the sight of the world. Secondly that he was an enemy to the Gospel of Christ, so that he was counted among the priests one of the principal maintainers and defenders of the Law. Thirdly that he did not change his sect unadvisedly: but that being tamed and convict by an Oracle from heaven, he gave his name to Christ. Fourthly that he did not embrace unknown things, but that God appointed him a faithful teacher, of whom he learned all things perfectly. Lastly that when he was returned to Jerusalem, and sought to do good to his countrymen, God did