SEV Biblia, Chapter 26:11
Y muchas veces, castigndolos por todas las sinagogas, los forc a blasfemar; y enfurecido sobremanera contra ellos, los perseguí hasta en las ciudades extranjeras.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 26:11
Verse 11. Being exceedingly mad against them] Only a madman will persecute another because of his differing from him in religious opinion; and the fiercest persecutor is he who should be deemed the most furious madman. Unto strange cities.] Places out of the jurisdiction of the Jews, such as Damascus, which he immediately mentions.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. And I punished them oft in every synagogue , etc.] In Jerusalem, where there were many; (see Gill on Acts 24:12); by beating and scourging them there, as the manner was; (see Matthew 10:17). and compelled them to blaspheme ; the Lord Jesus Christ, both to deny him to be the Messiah, and to call him accursed; as the Jews and Heathens obliged some professors of Christianity to do, who were only nominal ones, and had not grace and strength to stand against their threatenings, and to endure their persecutions: and being exceeding mad against them ; full of malice, envy, and hatred: I persecuted them even to strange cities ; particularly Damascus; and of his journey thither, he gives an account in the following verse; or through the violence of his persecution he obliged them to fly to strange cities, where they were foreigners and strangers; though he himself might not follow them there, since we do not read of his going anywhere but to Damascus; whereas they that were scattered by the persecution, in which he was concerned, travelled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, ( Acts 9:19). The phrase may be rendered, even to cities without; i.e. without the land of Israel: frequent mention is made in Jewish writings of such and such cities being Ural hxwj , without the land.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Christianity teaches us to give a reason of the hope that is in us, an also to give honour to whom honour is due, without flattery or fear of man. Agrippa was well versed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament therefore could the better judge as to the controversy about Jesu being the Messiah. Surely ministers may expect, when they preach the faith of Christ, to be heard patiently. Paul professes that he stil kept to all the good in which he was first educated and trained up. Se here what his religion was. He was a moralist, a man of virtue, and ha not learned the arts of the crafty, covetous Pharisees; he was no chargeable with any open vice and profaneness. He was sound in the faith. He always had a holy regard for the ancient promise made of God unto the fathers, and built his hope upon it. The apostle knew very well that all this would not justify him before God, yet he knew it wa for his reputation among the Jews, and an argument that he was not suc a man as they represented him to be. Though he counted this but loss that he might win Christ, yet he mentioned it when it might serve to honour Christ. See here what Paul's religion is; he has not such zea for the ceremonial law as he had in his youth; the sacrifices an offerings appointed by that, are done away by the great Sacrifice whic they typified. Of the ceremonial cleansings he makes no conscience, an thinks the Levitical priesthood is done away in the priesthood of Christ; but, as to the main principles of his religion, he is a zealous as ever. Christ and heaven, are the two great doctrines of the gospel; that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. These are the matter of the promise made unto the fathers. The temple service, or continual course of religious duties, day and night was kept up as the profession of faith in the promise of eternal life and in expectation of it. The prospect of eternal life should engage u to be diligent and stedfast in all religious exercises. Yet the Sadducees hated Paul for preaching the resurrection; and the other Jew joined them, because he testified that Jesus was risen, and was the promised Redeemer of Israel. Many things are thought to be beyon belief, only because the infinite nature and perfections of Him tha has revealed, performed, or promised them, are overlooked. Pau acknowledged, that while he continued a Pharisee, he was a bitter enem to Christianity. This was his character and manner of life in the beginning of his time; and there was every thing to hinder his being Christian. Those who have been most strict in their conduct befor conversion, will afterwards see abundant reason for humblin themselves, even on account of things which they then thought ought to have been done.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ κατα 2596 PREP πασας 3956 A-APF τας 3588 T-APF συναγωγας 4864 N-APF πολλακις 4178 ADV τιμωρων 5097 5723 V-PAP-NSM αυτους 846 P-APM ηναγκαζον 315 5707 V-IAI-1S βλασφημειν 987 5721 V-PAN περισσως 4057 ADV τε 5037 PRT εμμαινομενος 1693 5740 V-PNP-NSM αυτοις 846 P-DPM εδιωκον 1377 5707 V-IAI-1S εως 2193 CONJ και 2532 CONJ εις 1519 PREP τας 3588 T-APF εξω 1854 ADV πολεις 4172 N-APF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
26:11 {Punishing} (timwrwn). Old word timwrew originally to render help, to succor (timwros, from time and ouros), qen to avenge (for honor). In N.T. only here and #22:5. {I strove to make them blaspheme} (enagkazon blasfemein). Conative imperfect active of anagkazw, old verb from anagke (necessity, compulsion). The tense, like the imperfect in #Mt 3:14; Lu 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" (#22:4). {I persecuted} (ediwkon). Imperfect active again, repeated attempts. The old verb diwkw was used to run after or chase game and qen 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 eis exw poleis). 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.
