They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air.
Parallel translations
- WEB As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
- KJV And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
- BSB As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
- NKJV Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air,
- NASB And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The enraged crowd shouts, throws off their cloaks, and flings dust into the air. Their frenzied gestures display uncontrolled fury against Paul.
Overview
The throwing of cloaks and dust are signs of extreme outrage and protest. The scene captures the irrational violence that the gospel can provoke in hardened hearts. Yet God remains in control, and the mob's fury will become the occasion for Paul's witness before governors and kings.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 2 Sam 16:13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.
- Acts 7:58They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Acts 26:11Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
- Eccl 10:3Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
- Acts 7:53You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 22:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.