Bible Strands
Acts 22:4
I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses a Jerusalem crowd, recounting his past actions immediately after describing his Pharisaic education and zeal.
The words — ἐδίωξα (ediōxa) literally means "I persecuted," and ὁδὸν (hodon) translates as "Way," identifying the early church by its path rather than a later denominational label.
The thread — Paul reiterates this campaign in Acts 22:19 and Acts 26:9, while 1 Timothy 1:13 recalls his former role as a violent persecutor.
Why it lands — The text states that Paul detained men and women and threw them into prison to oppose the Way; it asks the reader to recognize that institutional religious authority can be mobilized to enforce doctrinal conformity through state-sanctioned violence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
Cross-references
- Acts 22:19 ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
- Acts 26:9 So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- 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.
- Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 16:17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
- 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.
- Acts 7:58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Acts 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
- Acts 9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
- Acts 9:21 All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”