And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.
Parallel translations
- WEB This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
- KJV Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
- NKJV This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
- NASB And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, after receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being put to death.
- NLT Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death.
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 recounts how he imprisoned many believers in Jerusalem under the chief priests' authority and approved their executions. He confesses the depth of his persecution of the church.
Overview
Paul recalls his active role in jailing Christians and consenting to their deaths, language that recalls his approval of Stephen's stoning (Acts 8:1). His frank confession underscores how violently he opposed the church. Against this dark background the grace that saved and commissioned him shines all the more brightly, displaying the gospel's power to redeem even its fiercest foe.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Acts 8:3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
- Acts 9:13–14But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
- Acts 9:21All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
- Acts 22:4–5I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
- Acts 22:19–20‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
- Acts 9:26When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
- Acts 9:1–2Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
- Acts 7:58They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Acts 8:1And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- 1 Cor 15:9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
- Gal 1:13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
- Ps 16:3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.
- Acts 9:32As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
- Eph 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
- Rev 17:6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
- Acts 9:41Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.
- Rom 15:25–26Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there.
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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 26:10 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.