Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

Acts 26:10

in Acts 26

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And this I also did in Jerusalem: and 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.

⋯

This verse in Acts 26

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem,.... The metropolis of Judea, where he had had his education, and was well known; here he consented to the death of Stephen, and held the clothes of the witnesses while they stoned him; and here he haled men and women out of their houses, and committed them to prison, and made havoc of the church of Christ, and destroyed the faith, and those that professed it, as much as in him lay.

This site's exposition

oppose the name of Jesus

on Acts 26:9-11

Paul confesses he once set out to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This third telling adds what chapters 9 and 22 omit, that he cast his vote against believers when they were condemned to death. He tried to make them blaspheme and, raging, went even to foreign cities.

This site's exposition

I cast my vote against them

The plural suggests more believers than Stephen were killed, though Luke names no others, as Barnes and Clarke observe. Barnes reads the vote loosely, as Paul's approval of the sentences, since he holds that Paul was no member of the Sanhedrin. Wesley reads it as joining those who condemned them.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 52 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Then he tells, how he persecuted: this also helps the proof: and he brings forward the chief priests as witnesses, and the "strange cities," and that he heard Him saying to him, "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks," and shows the mercifulness of God, that, though being persecuted He appeared to men, and did that benefit not to me only, but also sent me as teacher to others: and shows also the prophecy, now come to pass, which he then heard, "Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee."

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 52 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"I indeed thought with myself," that is, I determined, "to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." I was not one of Christ's disciples: among those who fought against Him, was I. Whence also he is a witness who has a right to be believed, because he, a man who was doing numberless things, makes war on the believers, persuading them to blaspheme, stirring up all against them, cities, rulers, and by himself doing all this of his own accord, was thus suddenly changed.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

proposed

And when they were to be killed, I delivered the sentence. Another Edition says, And I delivered the sentence on how they were to be killed, that is, I myself gave the sentence on their deaths.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

I shut up many of the saints - Men not only innocent, but good, just, holy. I gave my vote against them - That is, I joined with those who condemned them.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Now Paul here, by a plain and faithful narrative of matters of fact, makes it out to this august assembly that he had an immediate call from heaven to preach the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world, which was the thing that exasperated the Jews against him. That he was made a Christian by a divine power, notwithstanding all his prejudices against that way.
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Many of the saints - From what is said in this verse, it seems that Paul, before his conversion, was invested with much power: he imprisoned the Christians; punished many in various synagogues; compelled them to blaspheme - to renounce, and, perhaps, to execrate Christ, in order to save their lives; and gave his voice, exerted all his influence and authority, against them, in order that they might be put to death; and from this it would seem that there were other persons put to death besides St. Stephen, though their names are not mentioned.
Which thing I also did ... - Act 8:3. And many of the saints ... - Many Christians, Act 8:3. And when they were put to death - In the history of those transactions, there is no account of any Christian being put to death except Stephen, Acts 7. But there is no improbability in supposing that the same thing which had happened to Stephen had occurred in other cases. Stephen was the first martyr, and as he was a prominent man his case is particularly recorded. I gave my voice - Paul was not a member of the Sanhedrin, and this does not mean that he voted, but simply that he joined in the persecution; he approved it; he assented to the putting of the saints to death. Compare Act 22:20. The Syriac renders it, “I joined with those who condemned them.” It is evident, also, that Paul instigated them in this persecution, and urged them on to deeds of blood and cruelty.

The words behind it

25 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

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.6 worksActs 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?”5 worksActs 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.5 worksActs 22:4–5I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,4 worksActs 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.3 worksActs 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.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Acts 9:1–2Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest3 works1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.3 worksActs 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.3 worksActs 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.3 worksActs 26:12In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.3 worksRevelation 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.2 worksEphesians 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:2 worksRomans 15:25–26Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there.2 worksGalatians 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.2 worksActs 9:41Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.2 worksPsalms 16:3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.2 worksActs 9:32As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 8:1

    And 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.

    it leads to

    • Daniel 3:16–18

      Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

    • Acts 22:20

      And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

    • Acts 5:40

      At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.

    • Acts 7:58

      They 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.

  • Through

    Acts 8:3

    But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

    it leads to

    • 1 Timothy 1:13

      I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

    • 1 Corinthians 15:9

      For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

    • Philippians 3:6

      as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

    • Galatians 1:13

      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.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 26 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Acts 26 →