¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;^(A)

¹⁵ But when the one^[a] who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace was pleased^{(A) 16} to reveal his Son to me,^[b] so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles, I did not confer with any human,^(B)

⁷ Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. ⁸ Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ^(A)

¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! ¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.^(A)

¹³ Now I am speaking to you gentiles. Inasmuch as I am an apostle to the gentiles, I celebrate my ministry^(A)

⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the gentiles for the sake of his name,^(A)

¹⁷ I will rescue you from your people and from the gentiles—to whom I am sending you^{(A) 18} to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’^(B)

Paul Tells of His Preaching

¹⁹ “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision ²⁰ but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance.^(C)

⁷ For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth;^[a] I am not lying), a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth.^(A)

⁴ No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer.