Acts 26:9

King James Version

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Listen, I once led the fight against Jesus of Nazareth.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Legacy Standard Bible
"So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

Bible in Basic English
For I, truly, was of the opinion that it was right for me to do a number of things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Darby Translation
*I* indeed myself thought that I ought to do much against the name of Jesus the Nazaraean.

New King James Version
"Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Christian Standard Bible®
In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

World English Bible
"I most assuredly thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I indeed thought myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth:

Weymouth's New Testament
"I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

King James Version (1611)
I verily thought with my selfe, that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth:

Literal Translation
Indeed, I then thought to myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I also verely thoughte by my selfe, that I oughte to do many cotrary thinges cleane agaynst the name off Iesus off Nazareth,

Mace New Testament (1729)
I myself too once thought myself oblig'd strenuously to oppose the professors of Jesus the Nazarene, as I actually did at Jerusalem,

THE MESSAGE
"I admit that I didn't always hold to this position. For a time I thought it was my duty to oppose this Jesus of Nazareth with all my might. Backed with the full authority of the high priests, I threw these believers—I had no idea they were God's people!—into the Jerusalem jail right and left, and whenever it came to a vote, I voted for their execution. I stormed through their meeting places, bullying them into cursing Jesus, a one-man terror obsessed with obliterating these people. And then I started on the towns outside Jerusalem.

Amplified Bible
"So then, I [once] thought to myself that it was my duty to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

American Standard Version
I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Revised Standard Version
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I also verely thought in my selfe that I ought to do many cotrary thinges clene agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth:

Update Bible Version
I truly thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Webster's Bible Translation
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Young's Literal Translation
`I, indeed, therefore, thought with myself, that against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it behoved [me] many things to do,

New Century Version
"I, too, thought I ought to do many things against Jesus from Nazareth.

New English Translation
Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.

Berean Standard Bible
So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Contemporary English Version
I once thought that I should do everything I could to oppose Jesus from Nazareth.

Complete Jewish Bible
"I used to think it was my duty to do all I could to combat the name of Yeshua from Natzeret;

English Standard Version
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
I also verely thought in my selfe, that I ought to doe many contrarie things against the Name of Iesus of Nazareth.

George Lamsa Translation
For I at the very beginning was determined that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Hebrew Names Version
"I myself most assuredly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Yeshua of Natzeret.

International Standard Version
Indeed, I myself thought it my duty to take extreme measures against the name of Jesus from Nazareth.Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (see Isaiah 11:1), and the name">[fn]John 16:2; 1 Timothy 1:13;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For I, at the first, proposed in my mind to do many things against the name of Jeshu Natsroya.

Murdock Translation
For I myself, at first, resolved in my own mind, that I would perpetrate many adverse things against the name of Jesus the Nazarean.

New Living Translation
"I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene.

New Life Bible
"I used to think I should work hard against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

English Revised Version
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

New Revised Standard
"Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I, therefore, imagined to myself, that, against the name of Jesus the Nazarene, it was needful, many hostile things, to bring about, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I indeed did formerly think that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Lexham English Bible
Indeed, I myself thought it was necessary to do many things opposed to the name of Jesus the Nazarene,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
I also veryly thought in my selfe that I ought to do many contrary thynges, cleane agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth:

Easy-to-Read Version
"I used to think that I should do everything I could against Jesus from Nazareth.

New American Standard Bible
"So I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Good News Translation
"I myself thought that I should do everything I could against the cause of Jesus of Nazareth.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And sotheli Y gesside, that Y ouyte do many contrarie thingis ayens the name of Jhesu Nazarene.

Contextual Overview

¹ Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: ² I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: ³ Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. ⁴ My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; ⁵ Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. ⁶ And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers: ⁷ Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. ⁸ Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? ⁹ I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that: John 16:2, John 16:3, Romans 10:2, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:14, Philippians 3:6, 1 Timothy 1:13

the name: Acts 3:6, Acts 9:16, Acts 21:13, Acts 22:8, Acts 24:5

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:29 - General Judges 6:30 - Bring Judges 15:2 - I verily Judges 17:13 - General Proverbs 16:25 - General Song of Solomon 5:7 - they smote Isaiah 5:18 - draw Isaiah 32:4 - heart Isaiah 66:5 - Your Daniel 4:2 - that Matthew 12:32 - whosoever Luke 9:55 - Ye know John 1:45 - Jesus John 16:9 - General John 19:19 - Jesus Acts 2:22 - Jesus Acts 8:3 - General Acts 9:5 - I am Acts 21:31 - as Acts 22:4 - I persecuted Acts 22:19 - know Acts 25:3 - laying 1 Corinthians 15:9 - because James 3:14 - and lie

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I verily thought with myself,.... This seems to be a correction of himself, why he should wonder at their ignorance and unbelief, particularly with respect to Jesus being the Messiah, and his resurrection from the dead, and expostulate with them about it; when this was once his own case, it was the real sentiments of his mind, what in his conscience he believed to be right and just; namely,

that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth; to him himself, to his religion, to his Gospel, and ordinances, and people; by blaspheming his name, by denying him to be the Messiah, by condemning his religion as heresy, by disputing against his doctrines, and manner of worship, and by persecuting his followers.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I verily thought - I indeed μὲν men supposed. Paul here commences the account of his conversion, and states the evidence on which he judged that he was called of God to do what he had done. He begins by saying that it was not because he was originally disposed to be a Christian, but that he was violently and conscientiously opposed to Jesus of Nazareth, and had been converted when in the full career of opposition to him and his cause.

With myself - I thought to myself; or, I myself thought. He had before stated the hopes and expectations of his countrymen, Acts 26:6-8. He now speaks of his own views and purposes. “For myself, I thought,” etc.

That I ought to do - That I was bound, or that it was a duty incumbent on me - δεῖν dein. “I thought that I owed it to my country, to my religion, and to my God, to oppose in every manner the claims of Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah.” We here see that Paul was conscientious, and that a man may be conscientious even when engaged in enormous wickedness. It is no evidence that one is right because he is conscientious. No small part of the crimes against human laws, and almost all the cruel persecutions against Christians, have been carried on under the plea of conscience. Paul here refers to his conscientiousness in persecution to show that it was no slight matter which could have changed his course. As he was governed in persecution by conscience, it could have been only by a force of demonstration, and by the urgency of conscience equally clear and strong, that he could ever have been induced to abandon this course and to become a friend of that Saviour whom he had thus persecuted.

Many things - As much as possible. He was not satisfied with a few things a few words, or purposes, or arguments; but he felt bound to do as much as possible to put down the new religion.

Contrary to the name ... - In opposition to Jesus himself, or to his claims to be the Messiah. The “name” is often used to denote the “person” himself, Acts 3:6.