9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats 1 to murder 2 the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 9:2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues 3 in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, 4 either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners 5 to Jerusalem. 6
1:13 For you have heard of my former way of life 14 in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it. 1:14 I 15 was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, 16 and was 17 extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 18 1:15 But when the one 19 who set me apart from birth 20 and called me by his grace was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son in 21 me so that I could preach him 22 among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from 23 any human being, 24 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem 25 to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, 26 and then returned to Damascus.
1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem 27 to visit Cephas 28 and get information from him, 29 and I stayed with him fifteen days. 1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles 30 except James the Lord’s brother. 1:20 I assure you 31 that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you! 32 1:21 Afterward I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 1:22 But I was personally 33 unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 1:23 They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news 34 of the faith he once tried to destroy.” 1:24 So 35 they glorified God because of me. 36
1 tn Or “Saul, making dire threats.”
2 tn The expression “breathing out threats and murder” is an idiomatic expression for “making threats to murder” (see L&N 33.293). Although the two terms “threats” and “murder” are syntactically coordinate, the second is semantically subordinate to the first. In other words, the content of the threats is to murder the disciples.
3 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
4 sn The expression “the way” in ancient religious literature refers at times to “the whole way of life fr. a moral and spiritual viewpoint” (BDAG 692 s.v. ὁδός 3.c), and it has been so used of Christianity and its teachings in the book of Acts (see also 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It is a variation of Judaism’s idea of two ways, the true and the false, where “the Way” is the true one (1 En. 91:18; 2 En. 30:15).
5 tn Grk “bring them bound”; the translation “bring someone as prisoner” for δεδεμένον ἄγειν τινά (dedemenon agein tina) is given by BDAG 221 s.v. δέω 1.b.
6 sn From Damascus to Jerusalem was a six-day journey. Christianity had now expanded into Syria.
7 sn Ananias replied. Past events might have suggested to Ananias that this was not good counsel, but like Peter in Acts 10, Ananias’ intuitions were wrong.
8 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
9 tn Grk “to bind.”
10 sn The expression “those who call on your name” is a frequent description of believers (Acts 2:21; 1 Cor 1:2; Rom 10:13).
11 tn Or “began to harm [the church] severely.” If the nuance of this verb is “destroy,” then the imperfect verb ἐλυμαίνετο (elumaineto) is best translated as a conative imperfect as in the translation above. If instead the verb is taken to mean “injure severely” (as L&N 20.24), it should be translated in context as an ingressive imperfect (“began to harm the church severely”). Either option does not significantly alter the overall meaning, since it is clear from the stated actions of Saul in the second half of the verse that he intended to destroy or ravage the church.
12 tn The participle σύρων (surwn) has been translated as an finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
13 tn BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b has “εἰς φυλακήν put in prison Ac 8:3.”
14 tn Or “lifestyle,” “behavior.”
15 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16 tn Or “among my race.”
17 tn Grk “was advancing beyond…nation, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) was translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
18 sn The traditions of my ancestors refers to both Pharisaic and popular teachings of this time which eventually were codified in Jewish literature such as the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Targums.
19 tc ‡ Several important witnesses have ὁ θεός (Jo qeos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï co) while the shorter reading is supported by Ì46 B F G 629 1505 pc lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA27 includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.
20 tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”
21 tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.
22 tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.
23 tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.
24 tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”
25 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
26 sn As a geographical region Arabia included the territory west of Mesopotamia, east and south of Syria and Palestine, extending to the isthmus of Suez. During the Roman occupation, some independent kingdoms arose like that of the Nabateans south of Damascus, and these could be called simply Arabia. In light of the proximity to Damascus, this may well be the territory Paul says he visited here. See also C. W. Briggs, “The Apostle Paul in Arabia,” Biblical World 41 (1913): 255-59.
27 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
28 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).
29 tn Although often translated “to get acquainted with Cephas,” this could give the impression of merely a social call. L&N 34.52 has “to visit, with the purpose of obtaining information” for the meaning of ἱστορέω (Jistorew), particularly in this verse.
30 tn Grk “But another of the apostles I did not see, except…” with “another” in emphatic position in the Greek text. Paul is determined to make the point that his contacts with the original twelve apostles and other leaders of the Jerusalem church were limited, thus asserting his independence from them.
31 tn Grk “behold.”
32 tn Grk “What things I am writing to you, behold, before God [that] I am not lying.”
33 tn Or “by sight”; Grk “by face.”
34 tn The Greek verb here is εὐαγγελίζεται (euangelizetai).
35 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the report about Paul’s conversion.
36 tn The prepositional phrase ἐν εμοί (en emoi) has been translated with a causal force.