⁴⁹ For this reason the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’^(A)

³⁰ In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,^(A)

³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.^(A)

Prologue

¹¹ He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers^(A)

²⁴ but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

¹⁰ And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death.^{(A) 11} By punishing them often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme, and since I was so furiously enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.^(B)

²⁰ And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.’^(A)

The Conversion of Saul

9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest^{(A) 2} and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³ But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.^(A)