Acts 26:12
New International Version
“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

New Living Translation
“One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests.

English Standard Version
“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

Berean Standard Bible
In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

Berean Literal Bible
during which, journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

King James Bible
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

New King James Version
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

New American Standard Bible
“While so engaged, as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

NASB 1995
“While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

NASB 1977
“While thus engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

Legacy Standard Bible
“While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

Amplified Bible
“While so engaged, as I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission and full power of the chief priests,

Christian Standard Bible
“I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests.

American Standard Version
Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

Contemporary English Version
King Agrippa, one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and permission of the chief priests.

English Revised Version
Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"I was carrying out these activities when I went to the city of Damascus. I had the power and authority of the chief priests.

Good News Translation
"It was for this purpose that I went to Damascus with authority and orders from the chief priests.

International Standard Version
"That is how I happened to be traveling to Damascus with authority based on a commission from the high priests.

Majority Standard Bible
In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

NET Bible
"While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests,

New Heart English Bible
"Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,

Webster's Bible Translation
Upon which as I went to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests,

Weymouth New Testament
"While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,

World English Bible
“Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
In which things, also, going on to Damascus—with authority and commission from the chief priests—

Berean Literal Bible
during which, journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,

Young's Literal Translation
'In which things, also, going on to Damascus -- with authority and commission from the chief priests --

Smith's Literal Translation
In which also going to Damascus with authority, and superintendence from the chief priests,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Whereupon when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief priest,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Thereafter, as I was going to Damascus, with authority and permission from the high priest,

New American Bible
“On one such occasion I was traveling to Damascus with the authorization and commission of the chief priests.

New Revised Standard Version
“With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I was on the way to Damascus for this purpose, with authority and commission from the chief priests, when,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“And while I was going for this cause to Darmsuq with the authority and approval of The Chief Priests,”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
While I was engaged in these things, and was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

Godbey New Testament
Meanwhile journeying to Damascus with power and authority of the chief priests, I saw on the way, O king,

Haweis New Testament
In which pursuits, even as I was going to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests,

Mace New Testament
with such views, authorized by commission from the high priests, I was on the road to Damascus:

Weymouth New Testament
"While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,

Worrell New Testament
Meanwhile as I was journeying to Damascus, with authority and a commission from the high priests,

Worsley New Testament
On which accounts as I was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests---at mid-day,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Testimony to Agrippa
11I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. 12In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.…

Cross References
Acts 9:1-6
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest / and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. / As Saul drew near to Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ...

Acts 22:6-10
About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. / I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’ / ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied. ...

Galatians 1:13-14
For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. / I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Philippians 3:6
as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.

1 Corinthians 15:9
For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Timothy 1:13
I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

2 Corinthians 11:23-25
Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death. / Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. / Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

Galatians 1:23
They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

Romans 10:2
For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.

John 16:2
They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

Matthew 10:17
But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.

Isaiah 49:1
Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.

Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Ezekiel 2:3-4
“Son of man,” He said to me, “I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me. To this very day they and their fathers have rebelled against Me. / They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’

Exodus 3:10
Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”


Treasury of Scripture

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

as.

Acts 9:1,2
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, …

Acts 22:5
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

with.

Acts 26:10
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

1 Kings 21:8-10
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth…

Psalm 94:20,21
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? …

Jump to Previous
Armed Authority Chief Commission Damascus Engaged High Journeyed Journeying Journeys Orders Power Priests Traveled Travelling Whereupon
Jump to Next
Armed Authority Chief Commission Damascus Engaged High Journeyed Journeying Journeys Orders Power Priests Traveled Travelling Whereupon
Acts 26
1. Paul, in the presence of Agrippa, declares his life from his childhood;
12. and how miraculously he was converted, and called to his apostleship.
24. Festus charges him with being insane, whereunto he answers modestly.
28. Agrippa is almost persuaded to be a Christian.
31. The whole company pronounces him innocent.














In this pursuit
Paul is recounting his zealous mission to persecute Christians, reflecting his former life as a Pharisee deeply committed to Jewish law. This pursuit was driven by his belief that he was defending the faith against heresy, highlighting the intensity of his opposition to the early Christian movement.

I was on my way to Damascus
Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities, was a significant location in the ancient world. It was a major trade center and had a substantial Jewish population. Paul's journey to Damascus signifies the spread of Christianity beyond Jerusalem, indicating the early church's growth and the perceived threat it posed to Jewish authorities.

with the authority and commission of the chief priests
The chief priests were influential leaders in the Jewish religious hierarchy, responsible for temple worship and maintaining religious order. Their authority to commission Paul underscores the seriousness with which they viewed the Christian movement. This phrase also highlights the legal and religious backing Paul had, emphasizing the official nature of his mission to arrest Christians, which he believed was sanctioned by God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul (formerly Saul)
A Pharisee and zealous persecutor of Christians who later becomes a pivotal apostle in spreading the Gospel.

2. Damascus
A city in Syria, significant as the destination where Paul experiences his dramatic conversion.

3. Chief Priests
Jewish religious leaders who held authority in the Sanhedrin and were instrumental in persecuting early Christians.

4. The Commission
The authority given to Paul by the chief priests to arrest Christians, highlighting the official opposition to the early Church.

5. The Pursuit
Paul's mission to capture Christians, reflecting his initial zeal against the followers of Jesus.
Teaching Points
Zeal Without Knowledge
Paul's initial zeal was misdirected, serving as a cautionary tale about the importance of aligning our passion with God's truth.

Divine Intervention
Paul's journey to Damascus reminds us that God can intervene in our lives at any moment, redirecting our paths for His purposes.

Authority and Responsibility
The authority given to Paul by the chief priests highlights the responsibility that comes with leadership and the potential for misuse.

Transformation Through Christ
Paul's conversion is a powerful example of how encountering Christ can radically transform a person's life and mission.

Purpose in Persecution
Even in persecution, God can work to fulfill His purposes, as seen in Paul's eventual role in spreading the Gospel.(12) With authority and commission.--The former word implies the general power delegated to him, the latter the specific work assigned to him, and for the execution of which he was responsible.

Verse 12. - Journeyed for went, A.V.; with the authority... of for with authority... from, A.V. and T.R. Commission; ἐπιτροπῆς, here only in the New Testament. But ἐπίτροπος is a "steward" (Matthew 20:8; Luke 8:3); and hence the Roman procurator was called in Greek, ἐπίτροπος, and so were governors generally, as those who acted with a delegated authority. The chief priests. In Acts 9:1 Saul is said to have applied to "the chief priest" for authority. The high priest, as president of the Sanhedrim, acted with the other chief priests (Acts 9:14).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
In
Ἐν (En)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

this [pursuit],
οἷς (hois)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

I was on my way
πορευόμενος (poreuomenos)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4198: To travel, journey, go, die.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

Damascus
Δαμασκὸν (Damaskon)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1154: Damascus. Of Hebrew origin; Damascus, a city of Syria.

with
μετ’ (met’)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

[the] authority
ἐξουσίας (exousias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

commission
ἐπιτροπῆς (epitropēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2011: Power to decide, authority, commission. From epitrepo; permission, i.e. full power.

of
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

chief priests.
ἀρχιερέων (archiereōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 749: High priest, chief priest. From arche and hiereus; the high-priest; by extension a chief priest.


Links
Acts 26:12 NIV
Acts 26:12 NLT
Acts 26:12 ESV
Acts 26:12 NASB
Acts 26:12 KJV

Acts 26:12 BibleApps.com
Acts 26:12 Biblia Paralela
Acts 26:12 Chinese Bible
Acts 26:12 French Bible
Acts 26:12 Catholic Bible

NT Apostles: Acts 26:12 Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 26:11
Top of Page
Top of Page