And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
I went after them in synagogue after synagogue, forcing them to curse Jesus and deny their faith. I was absolutely furious with them, so angry that I chased them down even in cities far from home.
Paul admits he was once so consumed with rage that he hunted down Christians everywhere he could find them.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Acts, Paul is giving his defense before King Agrippa, recounting his past as a zealous Pharisee named Saul who violently opposed early Christians. This persecution took place in the context of first-century Judaism, where Saul sought to eradicate the fledgling Jesus movement by enforcing religious laws and compelling believers to renounce their faith in synagogues across various cities. The narrative highlights the intense religious and cultural conflicts between Jewish authorities and the growing Christian community in the Roman Empire.
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