Paul Defends His Apostleship

¹¹ Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought.^{[a] 12} For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation^(A) from Jesus Christ.^(B)

¹³ For you have heard about my former way of life^(C) in Judaism:^(D) I persecuted^(E) God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.^{(F) 15} But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called^(G) me by His grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son^(H) in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.^{[b] 17} I did not go up to Jerusalem^(I) to those who had become apostles^(J) before me; instead I went to Arabia^(K) and came back to Damascus.^(L)

¹⁸ Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem^(M) to get to know Cephas,^[c](N) and I stayed with him 15 days. ¹⁹ But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James,^(O) the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ Now I am not lying in what I write to you. God is my witness.^[d]

²¹ Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria^(P) and Cilicia.^{(Q) 22} I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; ²³ they simply kept hearing: “He who formerly persecuted^(R) us now preaches the faith^(S) he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.