I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
Parallel translations
- WEB I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
- KJV And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
- BSB I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
- NASB I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,
- NLT And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison.
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
Paul admits he persecuted 'this Way' to the death, imprisoning men and women. He confesses his former violent hostility to the very faith he now preaches.
Overview
'The Way' was an early name for the Christian movement (Acts 9:2). Paul's candid confession of having persecuted believers underscores the radical nature of his transformation and magnifies God's grace (1 Timothy 1:13-16). The chief opponent of Christ became his chief apostle, a living display of the gospel's power to save the worst of sinners.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Acts 22:19–20I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
- Acts 26:9–11“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- 1 Tim 1:13–15although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- 1 Cor 15:9For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.
- Acts 16:17Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”
- Acts 8:1–4Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
- Acts 18:26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
- 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 19:23About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.
- Acts 9:21All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
- Acts 19:9But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
- Acts 9:1–2But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
- Acts 24:14But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;
- Phil 3:6concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
- Acts 9:13–14But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
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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 22:4 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
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