Acts 26:11

Punishing (timwrwn). Old word timwrew originally to render help, to succor (timwro, from timh and ouro), then to avenge (for honour). In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 22:5 . I strove to make them blaspheme (hnagkazon blasphmein). Conative imperfect active of anagkazw, old verb from anagkh (necessity, compulsion). The tense, like the imperfect in Matthew 3:14 ; Luke 1:59 , leaves room to hope that Paul was not successful in this effort, for he had already said that he brought many "unto death" ( Luke 22:4 ). I persecuted (ediwkon). Imperfect active again, repeated attempts. The old verb diwkw was used to run after or chase game and then to chase enemies. The word "persecute" is the Latin persequor, to follow through or after. It is a vivid picture that Paul here paints of his success in hunting big game, a grand heresy hunt. Even unto foreign cities (kai ei exw polei). We know of Damascus, and Paul evidently planned to go to other cities outside of Palestine and may even have done so before the fateful journey to Damascus.