And I persecuted - Acts 8:3.

This way - Those who were of this mode of worshipping God; that is, Christians. See the notes on Acts 9:2.

Unto the death - Intending to put them to death. He did not probably put any to death himself, but he committed them to prison; he sought their lives; he was the agent employed in arresting them; and when they were put to death, he tells us that he gave his voice against them Acts 26:10; that is, he joined in, and approved of their condemnation.

Delivering into prisons ... - Acts 8:3.

I persecuted this way - Ταυτην την ὁδον; This doctrine, the way of worshipping God, and arriving at a state of blessedness. See on Acts 9:2 (note).

Binding and delivering into prisons - See on Acts 8:3 (note); Acts 9:2 (note).

And I persecuted this way unto the death,.... That is, the Christian religion, and the professors of it; whom the apostle breathed out threatenings and slaughter against, haled out of their houses, and committed to prison; consented to their death, as he did to Stephen's; and whenever it was put to the vote, whether they should die or not, he gave his voice against them; so that he was a most bitter enemy, and an implacable persecutor of them; which shows how very averse he was to this way, and how great his prejudices were against it; wherefore it must be a work of divine power, and there must be the singular hand of God in it, to reconcile him to it, and cause him to embrace and profess it:

binding and delivering into prisons, both men and women: see Acts 8:3.

Way

See on Acts 9:2.

And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

22:4 I persecuted this way. He did this from his zeal towards God, whom he thought he thus served.

Unto the death. This seems to imply that Stephen was not the only martyr in whose death he was an accomplice.

22:4 And persecuted this way - With the same zeal that you do now. Binding both men and women - How much better was his condition, now he was bound himself.

4. I persecuted, &c.-(See on [2093]Ac 9:1,2; [2094]Ac 9:5-7).

22:1-11 The apostle addressed the enraged multitude, in the customary style of respect and good-will. Paul relates the history of his early life very particularly; he notices that his conversion was wholly the act of God. Condemned sinners are struck blind by the power of darkness, and it is a lasting blindness, like that of the unbelieving Jews. Convinced sinners are struck blind as Paul was, not by darkness, but by light. They are for a time brought to be at a loss within themselves, but it is in order to their being enlightened. A simple relation of the Lord's dealings with us, in bringing us, from opposing, to profess and promote his gospel, when delivered in a right spirit and manner, will sometimes make more impression that laboured speeches, even though it amounts not to the full proof of the truth, such as was shown in the change wrought in the apostle.