Philippians 3:5-6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
5 Circumcised on the eighth day,[a] of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee,(A) 6 in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.(B)
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Galatians 1:13-14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 [a]For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it,(A) 14 and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.(B)
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- 1:13–17 Along with Phil 3:4–11, which also moves from autobiography to its climax in a discussion on justification by faith (cf. Gal 2:15–21), this passage is Paul’s chief account of the change from his former way of life (Gal 1:13) to service as a Christian missionary (Gal 1:16); cf. Acts 9:1–22; 22:4–16; 26:9–18. Paul himself does not use the term “conversion” but stresses revelation (Gal 1:12, 16). In Gal 1:15 his language echoes the Old Testament prophetic call of Jeremiah. Unlike the account in Acts (cf. Acts 22:4–16), the calling of Paul here includes the mission to proclaim Christ to the Gentiles (Gal 1:16).
2 Corinthians 11:22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
22 [a]Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.(A)
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- 11:22 The opponents apparently pride themselves on their “Jewishness.” Paul, too, can claim to be a Jew by race, religion, and promise. Descendants of Abraham: elsewhere Paul distinguishes authentic from inauthentic heirs of Abraham and the promise (Rom 4:13–18; 9:7–13; 11:1; Gal 3:9, 27–29; cf. Jn 8:33–47). Here he grants his opponents this title in order to concentrate on the principal claim that follows.
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