⁹ For I am ^(A)the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because ^(B)I persecuted the church of God.

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹ I have become ^(A)a fool ^[a]in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for ^(B)in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though ^(C)I am nothing.

³ As for Saul, ^(A)he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

¹³ although ^(A)I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[a]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because ^(B)I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ^14 (C)And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, ^(D)with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ^15 (E)This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that ^(F)Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

^7 (A)of which I became a minister ^(B)according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by ^(C)the effective working of His power.

Purpose of the Mystery

⁸ To me, ^(D)who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles ^(E)the unsearchable riches of Christ,

^9 (A)“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things ^[a]contrary to the name of ^(B)Jesus of Nazareth. ^10 (C)This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority ^(D)from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ^11 (E)And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

²³ But they were ^(A)hearing only, “He who formerly ^(B)persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”

⁶ concerning zeal, ^(A)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

¹³ For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how ^(A)I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and ^(B)tried to destroy it.