Final answer:
Saul, later known as Paul, was given authority by the Jewish leaders to persecute Christians before his conversion to Christianity on the road to Damascus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paul, originally known as Saul, was given authority by the Jewish leaders to persecute Christians. This occurred during a time when Christianity was emerging as a new religious movement following the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, Saul was a devout Jew who participated in the persecution of Christians, whom he viewed as followers of a heretical sect. After his conversion, however, Saul, who became known as Paul, became a leading figure in spreading Christianity throughout the Greco-Roman world. He wrote many Epistles, or letters, to the early Christian communities, which played a significant role in the development of Christian doctrine.