^6 (A)as to zeal, ^(B)a persecutor of the church; ^(C)as to righteousness under the law,^[a] blameless.

¹³ For you have heard of ^(A)my former life in Judaism, how ^(B)I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely ^(C)zealous was I for ^(D)the traditions of my fathers.

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

^9 (A)“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of ^(B)Jesus of Nazareth. ^10 (C)And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority ^(D)from the chief priests, but ^(E)when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.

^3 (A)“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated ^(B)at the feet of ^(C)Gamaliel^{[a] (D)}according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, ^(E)being zealous for God ^(F)as all of you are this day. ^4 (G)I persecuted ^(H)this Way ^(I)to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,

²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds ^(A)that of the scribes and Pharisees, you ^(B)will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^(A)persecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^(B)I received mercy ^(C)because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

⁹ and be found in him, not having ^(A)a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^(B)that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

⁹ For ^(A)I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because ^(B)I persecuted the church of God.