Acts 9:23

Saul’s Escape from Damascus

9:23 Now after some days had passed, the Jews plotted ¹  together to kill him,

Acts 9:2

9:2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues ²  in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, ³  either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners ⁴  to Jerusalem. ⁵ 

Colossians 1:26

1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.

[9:23]  ¹ sn Fitting the pattern emphasized earlier with Stephen and his speech in Acts 7, some Jews plotted to kill God’s messenger (cf. Luke 11:53-54).

[9:2]  ² sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[9:2]  ³ 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).

[9:2]  ⁴ 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.

[9:2]  ⁵ sn From Damascus to Jerusalem was a six-day journey. Christianity had now expanded into Syria.