^8 (A)Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

A Pattern of Self-Denial

9 Am ^(A)I not an apostle? Am I not free? ^(B)Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? ^(C)Are you not my work in the Lord?

¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, ^(A)to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

¹⁸ and ^(A)saw Him saying to me, ^(B)‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’

⁹ Now ^(A)the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;

^17 (A)And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and ^(B)laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord ^[a]Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and ^(C)be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

^3 (A)As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴ Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ^(B)why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ^[a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

⁶ So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

¹⁴ Then he said, ^(A)‘The God of our fathers ^(B)has chosen you that you should ^(C)know His will, and ^(D)see the Just One, ^(E)and hear the voice of His mouth.

The Vision of Paradise

12 It is ^[a]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to ^(A)visions and ^(B)revelations of the Lord: ² I know a man ^(C)in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one ^(D)was caught up to the third heaven. ³ And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴ how he was caught up into ^(E)Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵ Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not ^(F)boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶ For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.