Acts 26:12

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the princes of the priests,

Acts 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.

Acts 26:12 In-Context

10 Which things I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the princes of the priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the princes of the priests,

13 at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.