Acts 9:1

Ὁ δὲ Σαῦλος : takes up and continues the narrative from Acts 8:3; the resumptive use of δέ. ἔτι : “Sic in summo fervore peccandi ereptus et conversus est” Bengel. ἐμπνέων : only here in N.T., not “breathing out,” A.V., but rather “breathing of,” lit [221], “in” (R.V. simply “breathing”), cf. LXX, Joshua 10:40; πᾶν ἐμπνέον ζωῆς (cf. Psalms 17:15) threatening and murdering were as it were the atmosphere which he breathed, and in and by which he lived, cf. Stobæus, Flor., 85, 19, ὀδμῆς ἐμπνέοντα, L. and S. and Blass, in loco (cf. also Aristoph., Eq., 437 οὗτος ἤδη κακίας καὶ συκοφαντίας πνεῖ, and Winer-Moulton, xxx., 9). τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ : probably Joseph Caiaphas, who continues thus to persecute the Church, see on Acts 4:6 (Acts 5:17); he held office until 36 A.D., see Zödder's note, in loco, and “Caiaphas,” B.D. 2, and Hastings' B.D. “Saul as a Pharisee makes request of a Sadducee!” says Felten.

[221] literal, literally.