en_tn_condensed/act/26/12.md

Connecting Statement:

While talking to King Agrippa, Paul tells about when the Lord spoke with him.

While I was doing this

Paul uses this phrase to mark another shift in his defense. He is now telling about when he saw Jesus and became his disciple.

While

This word is used to mark two events that are happening at the same time. In this case, Paul went to Damascus during the time when he persecuted Christians.

with authority and orders

Paul had written letters from the Jewish leaders, granting him authority to persecute the Jewish believers.

I heard a voice speaking to me that said

Here "voice" stands for the person speaking. AT: "I heard someone speaking to me who said" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)

It is hard for you to kick a goad

For Paul to resist Jesus and to persecute believers is spoken of as if he were an ox kicking at the sharp stick that a person uses to prod (or "goad") the animal. It means that Paul is only harming himself. AT: "You will only harm yourself like an ox kicking a goad" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)