Paul Called by God

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^(A) that the gospel I preached^(B) is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man,^(C) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation^(D) from Jesus Christ.^(E)

¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb^(A) and called me^(B) by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,^(C) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.^(D)

Paul’s Vision and His Thorn

12 I must go on boasting.^(A) Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations^(B) from the Lord.

⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(B) a messenger of Satan,^(C) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(D) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(E) is sufficient for you, for my power^(F) is made perfect in weakness.^(G)”^(H) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.