What did Paul say to the Lord about his past persecution of believers?
Paul told the Lord that the Jews knew he had imprisoned and beaten believers in every synagogue, and that when Stephen’s blood was shed, he stood by consenting to his death and kept the raiment of those who slew him.
Les teaches that in Acts 22 Paul is speaking to a great Jewish crowd in Jerusalem while under Roman protective custody. He is rehearsing his salvation experience, and Les notes Paul’s conversion is detailed three times in Acts—chapters 9, 22, and 26. At verse 17 Paul recounts being in a trance in the temple and seeing the ascended Lord Jesus, who told him to make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem because the Jews would not receive his testimony. Paul responded by reminding the Lord that the Jews knew his past: he had imprisoned and beaten believers in every synagogue, and when Stephen’s blood was shed, he stood by consenting to his death and held the raiment of those who slew him.
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: