² assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles.

²⁵ God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. ²⁶ This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. ²⁷ For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

¹¹ that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.

¹¹ And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.

¹⁵ But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me^[a] so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being.^[b]

⁵ Through Christ, God has given us the privilege^[a] and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

⁷ However, he has given each one of us a special gift^[a] through the generosity of Christ.

Paul’s Relationship with the Corinthians

4 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.

¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

¹³ You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.