¹³ You heard about my previous life in Judaism, how severely I harassed God’s church and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my peers, because I was much more militant about the traditions of my ancestors. ¹⁵ But God had set me apart from birth and called me through his grace. He was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach about him to the Gentiles. I didn’t immediately consult with any human being. ¹⁷ I didn’t go up to Jerusalem to see the men who were apostles before me either, but I went away into Arabia and I returned again to Damascus. ¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I didn’t see any other of the apostles except James the brother of the Lord. ²⁰ Before God, I’m not lying about the things that I’m writing to you! ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, ²² but I wasn’t known personally by the Christian churches in Judea. ²³ They only heard a report about me: “The man who used to harass us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ So they were glorifying God because of me.

Psalm 139

For the music leader. Of David. A song.

Jesus visits Martha and Mary

³⁸ While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. ³⁹ She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. ⁴⁰ By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.”

⁴¹ The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. ⁴² One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.”