What did Saul force his fellow Jews to do?
Saul compelled his fellow Jews in every synagogue to blaspheme the name of Jesus, to recant their faith in Him, or to be put to death. He forced them to choose between denying Christ and dying, punishing them often for their belief.
Les explains that Saul, before his conversion, voted against believers when they were brought before the religious leaders, choosing death over prison. He punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. Persecutors down through the ages force people to make a choice: blaspheme Jesus Christ, renege on Him, recant faith in Him, or be put to death. Saul put his fellow Jews in that same position—blaspheme the name of Jesus, hate Him as Saul did, or be put to death. Later, when Saul found out the one he persecuted was his Old Testament Jehovah, it beat him down, and he sorrowed for persecuting those Jewish believers.
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
More Questions
What choice was Saul forcing his fellow Jews to make?
Saul was putting his fellow Jews into the position of either blaspheming and hating the name of Jesus as he did, or being put to death.