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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_22:3-5
3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished."
Act_22:3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus" Paul is trying to identify himself with this Jewish crowd. He is asserting his Jewishness (cf. 2 Cor. 12:22; Php_3:5-6). He would have been considered a Greek-speaking Jew of the diaspora.
The phrase "but brought up in this city" can refer grammatically either to (1) Tarsus or (2) Jerusalem. Contextually, Jerusalem is implied. If so, then Paul's training in Greek rhetoric must have occurred somewhere besides Tarsus.
▣ "educated under Gamaliel" This was a very respected rabbi (cf. Act_5:34-40). He is quoted in the Mishnah several times. Paul was a student of the liberal rabbinical school of Hillel. This crowd would have been impressed by this statement. See hyperlink at Act_5:34.
▣ "strictly according to the law of our fathers" This would imply that he was a Pharisee (cf. Act_23:6; Act_26:5) and a zealous one at that (cf. Act_22:4; Gal_1:14; Php_3:6). The Pharisees were committed to stringent obedience to the Oral Traditions (i.e., Talmud), which interpreted the Old Testament.
▣ "as you all are today" Paul acknowledges their enthusiasm and commitment. He was once like them!
Act_22:4 "I persecuted" Throughout Paul's ministry he looked back on these days with deep regret. He mentions this often (cf. Act_9:1; Act_9:13; Act_9:21; Act_22:4; Act_22:19; Act_26:10-11; Gal_1:13; Gal_1:23; Php_3:6; 1Ti_1:13). Paul often refers to himself as the least of the saints because of these actions (cf. 1Co_15:9; 2Co_12:11; Eph_3:8; 1Ti_1:15).
▣ "this Way" This was the earliest name for the Christian Church (cf. Act_9:2; Act_19:9; Act_19:23; Act_22:4; Act_28:14; Act_28:22). It refers to
1. Jesus as "the Way" (cf. Joh_14:6)
2. biblical faith as a lifestyle (cf. Deu_5:32-33; Deu_31:29; Psa_27:11; Isa_35:8)
▣ "to the death" Paul had some Christians put to death (cf. Act_8:1; Act_8:3; Act_26:10)! He was surely involved in Stephen's death (cf. Act_7:58; Act_8:1).
▣ "binding and putting both men and women into prisons" The fact that Paul did this to women really shows the intensity of his persecutions.
Act_22:5 Paul is sharing the circumstances that led up to his Damascus road conversion to faith in Jesus (cf. Acts 9).
▣ "the Council of the elders" This is literally "all the elders." Luke uses this same term for the Sanhedrin in Luk_22:66. This is not the normal term used of this official body of Jewish leaders in Jerusalem (Sanhedrin). It may have referred to a small administrative sub-committee.
▣ "I also received letters" F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, has an interesting discussion and documentation of the Sanhedrin's rights of extradition from surrounding countries (p. 72). For more historical information see 1Ma_15:21 and Falvius Josephus.
▣ "those who were there" This phrase implies that these were believing Jews who had fled the persecution in Jerusalem.