Galatians 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preaches the faith which once he destroyed. Paul had the spirit of his ancestor, who sought to slay the Gibeonites in his zeal for the children of Israel; and when he was converted, he retained not only the recollection of Stephen's death, but of the multiplied murders which he had ordered or encouraged, when, during the wild anarchy of Caligula's reign, he obtained authority from the chief priests to bind and slay. His resolution and strength of purpose were the traits of his youth, his manhood, and his age. Thus when the real work of Paul was understood the old fear of him vanished, and those who knew of him only by that work glorified God in him. Thus early in his career was the blessing of Jacob fulfilled in the greatest of the descendents of his youngest son — "Benjamin shall devour in the morning as a ravenous wolf, and in the evening give nurture." (Paul of Tarsus.) Parallel Verses KJV: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. |
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