A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 26:17

"delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee," — Acts 26:17 (ASV)

Delivering thee (εξαιρουμενος σε). Present middle participle of εξαιρεω, old verb and usually so rendered, but the old Greek also uses it for "choose" as also in LXX (Isaiah 48:10). The papyri give examples of both meanings and either makes good sense here. God was continually rescuing Paul "out of the hands of Jews and Gentiles and Paul was a chosen vessel" (9:15). Modern scholars are also divided.