¹³ You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it.^{(A) 14} I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.^{(B) 15} But when the one^[a] who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace was pleased^{(C) 16} to reveal his Son to me,^[b] so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles, I did not confer with any human,^{(D) 17} nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterward I returned to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days,^{(E) 19} but I did not see any other apostle except James the Lord’s brother.^{(F) 20} In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie! ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia,^{(G) 22} and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ;^{(H) 23} they only heard it said, “The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.”