Paragraph 26:12–14
26:12a
In this pursuit: This phrase in Greek is literally “in which.” It refers to Paul going to various foreign cities to persecute Christians (26:11c). Other ways to translate this Greek phrase are:
On such an expedition (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
It was for this purpose that (Good News Translation)
I was on my way to Damascus: This clause refers to traveling to Damascus but not yet arriving there. For example:
I was going to Damascus (New International Version)
Damascus: This name refers to an important city in the province of Syria. At that time it was not a large city.
All the people whom Paul spoke to here probably knew about Damascus, because it was an important city in that area. So Paul would not explain that Damascus was a city to the king and the others. In some languages, people will not be familiar with Damascus. If so, you may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Damascus was an important city in the province of Syria when the Romans ruled Syria. Today it is the capital of the country of Syria.
26:12b
with the authority and commission of the chief priests: The chief priests authorized and commissioned Paul to arrest and punish Christians in foreign cities. For example:
with full powers and a commission from the chief priests (New Jerusalem Bible)
the authority and commission: The word commission refers to complete power to do something. It is similar in meaning to authority. The two words together emphasize that the chief priests fully authorized Paul to do whatever he needed to persecute Christians. For example:
the power and authority (God’s Word)
-or-
with authority and complete power (NET Bible)
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