Acts 26:11 - Forerunner Commentary

Acts 26:11

9 ^a“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things¹ contrary to the name of ^bJesus of Nazareth.

10 ^aThis I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority ^bfrom the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

11 ^aAnd I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul Recounts His Conversion

12 ^a“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, ^ato make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, ^ato whom I now send you,

18 ^ato open their eyes, in order ^bto turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, ^cthat they may receive forgiveness of sins and ^dan inheritance among those who are ^esanctified by faith in Me.’

Paul’s Post-Conversion Life

19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 but ^adeclared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do ^bworks befitting repentance.

21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.

Verse Comparison: Acts 26:11

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American Standard Version
And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

Amplified® Bible
And frequently I punished them in all the synagogues to make them blaspheme; and in my bitter fury against them, I harassed (troubled, molested, persecuted) {and} pursued them even to foreign cities.

Contemporary English Version
I often had them punished in our meeting places, and I tried to make them give up their faith. In fact, I was so angry with them, that I went looking for them in foreign cities.

Darby English Version
And often punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme. And, being exceedingly furious against them, I persecuted them even to cities out [of our own land].

Good News Bible
Many times I had them punished in the synagogues and tried to make them deny their faith. I was so furious with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

International Standard Version
I would even punish them frequently in every synagogue and try to make them blaspheme. Raging furiously against them, I would hunt them down even to distant cities.

King James Version
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

New American Standard Bible
"And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

New International Version
Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

New King James Version
And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and having become furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

Young's Literal Translation
and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining `them' to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting `them' even unto strange cities.

New English Translation
I punished¹ them often in all the synagogues² and tried to force³ them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged⁴ at them, I went to persecute⁵ them even in foreign cities.

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