'And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were being put to death, I cast my vote against them. - Paul admits to active persecution: imprisoning believers (deō, deō-'bind') and voting for their execution (psēphos, psēphos-'vote, stone'). His reference to 'the authority of the chief priests' (exousia para tōn archierēōn, exousia para tōn archierēōn) shows he acted as their agent. His vivid self-accusation ('cast my vote...against them') accepts moral responsibility. This honesty-admitting his past violence-paradoxically builds credibility for his transformation.

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