Paragraph 26:9–11
26:9a
So then: This verse starts with two Greek words that together mean “therefore” or “then.” The Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions translate these two Greek words as So then. For example:
So then, (New American Standard Bible)
I too was convinced: The word I is emphasized in the Greek clause. Other ways to translate this clause are:
I myself thought (Good News Translation)
-or-
As for me, I once thought (New Jerusalem Bible)
Paul returns to talking about his life about thirty years before him talking to King Agrippa here. When he was speaking to King Agrippa, he no longer thought in the way he described in this verse. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer to the time he was talking to King Agrippa here. If that is true in your language, indicate that Paul spoke of things many years before this time. For example:
⌊Back then⌋ I too was convinced
-or-
⌊Earlier⌋ I too was convinced
-or-
As for me, I once thought (New Jerusalem Bible)
26:9b
I ought to do all I could to oppose: This clause in Greek is literally “it was necessary to do many hostile things to.” Paul thought that God required him to do hurtful things to the followers of Jesus. He caused the death of some and put others in prison (22:4). Other ways to translate this phrase are:
I ought to do many things in opposing (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
it was my duty to use every means to oppose (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
I needed to be an enemy in many/all ways to
oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth: Here the word oppose indicates that Paul persecuted Jesus’ followers and tried to prove that Jesus was not the Christ. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
do everything…against the cause of Jesus of Nazareth (Good News Translation)
-or-
oppose Jesus from Nazareth (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
oppose all that Jesus of Nazareth stands for
Paul used the phrase Jesus of Nazareth as he would have then and so does not call him “Christ” or “Lord” here.
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