Paul Defends His Ministry

¹¹ For I want you to know, ^[a]believers, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel [it is not a human invention, patterned after any human concept]. ¹² For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a [direct] revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ You have heard of my career and former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to hunt down and persecute the church of God extensively and [with fanatical zeal] tried [my best] to destroy it. ¹⁴ And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors. ¹⁵ But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased^{(A) 16} to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with ^[b]anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me]. ¹⁷ Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see any other apostle except James, the [half] brother of the Lord. ²⁰ (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you as if I were standing before God that I am not lying.) ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was still unknown by sight to the churches which were in Christ in Judea (Jerusalem and the surrounding region); ²³ they only kept hearing, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the [good news of the] faith which he once was trying to destroy.” ²⁴ And they were glorifying God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place and all that had been accomplished] in me.