Gevurot 26:12

12 "This it was, that as I was traveling to Damascus with authorization and permission from the Rashei Hakohanim,

Gevurot 26:12 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 26:12

Whereupon as I went to Damascus
Being intent, upon the above said things, to punish the saints, compel them to blaspheme, imprison them, and even put them to death on account of these things; upon this errand and business he went to Damascus, the chief city of Syria, where he knew there were many that believed in Christ, who had removed from Jerusalem thither, on account of the persecution, or were settled there before:

with authority and commission from the chief priests;
the Jewish sanhedrim, to bring those of them at Damascus bound to Jerusalem, in order to be punished, as in ( Acts 9:2 ) ( 22:5 ) and which the Ethiopic version adds here.

Gevurot 26:12 In-Context

10 "And this I also did in Yerushalayim; and armed with samchut received from the Rashei Hakohanim, many of the kadoshim I locked up in the beis hasohar; and I cast my vote keneged (against) them when they received the death penalty.

11 "And throughout all the shuls I often punished them, forcing them to commit Chillul Hashem gidduf (blasphemy), and since I was so enraged against them, I was bringing redifah on them even as far as foreign cities.

12 "This it was, that as I was traveling to Damascus with authorization and permission from the Rashei Hakohanim,

13 "At noon on the derech, O Melech, I saw from Shomayim an ohr, more brilliant than the shemesh, shining around me and around the ones traveling with me.

14 "And we all fell down to the ground. Then I heard a kol saying to me in the language of the Hebrews, ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why are you bringing redifah upon me? It is hard for you to kick keneged (against) the prod.’