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.

Paul and False Apostles

⁵ For I consider that ^(A)I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.

Concern for Their Faithfulness

11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little ^(A)folly—and indeed you do bear with me.

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

⁹ For I am ^(B)the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because ^(C)I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But ^(D)by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, ^(E)yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Purpose of the Mystery

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

⁶ But from those ^(A)who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; ^(B)God ^[a]shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something ^(C)added nothing to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, ^(D)when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised ^(E)had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter ⁸ (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the ^(F)circumcised ^(G)also ^(H)worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), ⁹ and when James, ^[b]Cephas, and John, who seemed to be ^(I)pillars, perceived ^(J)the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, ^(K)that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They desired only that we should remember the poor, ^(L)the very thing which I also was eager to do.

No Return to the Law

^11 (M)Now when ^[c]Peter had come to Antioch, I ^[d]withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹² for before certain men came from James, ^(N)he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing ^[e]those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about ^(O)the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter ^(P)before them all, ^(Q)“If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, ^[f]why do you compel Gentiles to live as ^[g]Jews?

^12 (A)Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and ^(B)wonders and mighty ^(C)deeds.

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.

Reluctant Boasting

¹⁶ I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷ What I speak, ^(A)I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.