Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
He stood before the Jerusalem crowd and appealed to them with respect as brothers and fathers, asking them to hear the defense he was about to make. He spoke that defense in Hebrew, and the sound of their own language brought a great silence over the crowd. His defense was a calm, personal account of his Jewish upbringing, his former persecution of Christ's followers, his conversion, and his commission to preach to the Gentiles, and for a time it persuaded the crowd to listen. When he recounted his mission to the Gentiles, their national pride erupted against him.
He stood before the Jerusalem crowd and appealed to them with respect as brothers and fathers, asking them to hear the defense he was about to make. He spoke that defense in Hebrew, and the sound of their own language brought a great silence over the crowd. His defense was a calm, personal account of his Jewish upbringing, his former persecution of Christ's followers, his conversion, and his commission to preach to the Gentiles, and for a time it persuaded the crowd to listen. When he recounted his mission to the Gentiles, their national pride erupted against him.