⁶ concerning zeal, ^(A)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

¹³ For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how ^(A)I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and ^(B)tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, ^(C)being more exceedingly zealous ^(D)for the traditions of my fathers.

³ As for Saul, ^(A)he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

^9 (A)“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things ^[a]contrary to the name of ^(B)Jesus of Nazareth. ^10 (C)This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority ^(D)from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

^3 (A)“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city ^(B)at the feet of ^(C)Gamaliel, taught ^(D)according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and ^(E)was zealous toward God ^(F)as you all are today. ^4 (G)I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,

²⁰ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds ^(A)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

¹³ although ^(A)I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[a]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because ^(B)I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

⁹ and be found in Him, not having ^(A)my own righteousness, which is from the law, but ^(B)that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

⁹ For I am ^(A)the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because ^(B)I persecuted the church of God.