For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
Parallel translations
- WEB For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it.
- KJV For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
- NKJV For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
- NASB For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;
- NLT You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
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 recalls his former life in Judaism, when he violently persecuted the church. His past makes his conversion all the more clearly an act of God.
Overview
Paul appeals to his well-known history as evidence that his gospel was not learned from the believers he once attacked. His zeal in 'ravaging' the church shows he had no natural inclination toward the faith he now preaches. Only God's intervention could account for such a transformation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 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 22:3–5“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
- 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.
- Acts 26:4–5Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from the earliest days of my youth, among my own people and 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 26:9–11So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- 1 Tim 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
- 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 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 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.
- Phil 3:6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
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Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
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