And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that invoke thy name.

and here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all those calling on Thy name.'

and here he is authorized by the High Priests to arrest all who call upon Thy name."

And here he has authority from the chief priests to make prisoners all who give worship to your name.

And he has authority here from the leaders of the priests to bind all who invoke your name."

And, here, too, he holds authority from the chief priests to put in chains all those who invoke your name."

He hath power to bind. We gather by these words, that the fame of the persecution which Saul went about [1] was spread far and wide; for which cause his conversion was [2] more famous. Nevertheless, the Lord suffered the faithful to be evil entreated, [3] that the benefit of such sudden deliverance might afterwards be the more excellent. We must mark that speech, when he saith that the godly call upon the name of Christ. For whether you understand it, that inasmuch as they professed that they were Christ's, they rejoiced therefore in him, or that they used to fly to him for succor, invocation cannot be without sure confidence. By both which the divinity of Christ is not only proved, but also if the second be received, which seemeth to be more natural, [4] we are taught by the example of the faithful, to call upon the name of Christ when he is preached to us.

Footnotes

1 - "Parabat," was preparing.

2 - "Debuit," must have been.

3 - "Misere cruciari," miserably tortured.

4 - "Genuinum," genuine.

And here he hath authority, etc. - Ananias had undoubtedly heard of Saul's coming, and the commission he had received from the chief priests; and he was about to urge this as a reason why he should have no connection with so dangerous a man.

And here he hath authority from the chief priests,.... His fury and madness against the saints did not stop at Jerusalem, but he had received a commission from the sanhedrim to go to Damascus, where he now was:
to bind all that call on thy name; to take up all such persons and put them in bonds, and carry them bound to Jerusalem, whom he should find either praying to Christ, as God, as the first Christians used to do, and which is no inconsiderable proof of the deity of Christ; or professing the name of Christ, or were called by it.

here he hath authority, &c.--so that the terror not only of the great persecutor's name, but of this commission to Damascus, had travelled before him from the capital to the doomed spot.

All that call on thy name - That is, all Christians.