^9 (A)“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of ^(B)Jesus of Nazareth. ^10 (C)And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority ^(D)from the chief priests, but ^(E)when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And ^(F)I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them ^(G)blaspheme, and ^(H)in raging fury against them I ^(I)persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners

¹² I thank him ^(A)who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, ^(B)appointing me to his service, ¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^(C)persecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^(D)I received mercy ^(E)because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and ^(F)the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ^(G)faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is ^(H)trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ^(I)came into the world to save sinners, ^(J)of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.