¹¹Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. The good news I preached is not something a human being made up. ¹²No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. Instead, I received it from Jesus Christ. He showed it to me.

¹³You have heard of my earlier way of life as a Jew. With all my strength I attacked the church of God. I tried to destroy it. ¹⁴I was moving ahead in my Jewish way of life. I went beyond many Jews who were my own age. I held firmly to the teachings passed down by my people.

¹⁵But God set me apart from the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me. He was pleased ¹⁶to show his Son in my life. He wanted me to preach about Jesus among those who aren’t Jews.

When God appointed me, I didn’t talk to anyone. ¹⁷I didn’t go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went at once into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem. I went there to get to know Peter. I stayed with him for 15 days. ¹⁹I didn’t see any of the other apostles. I only saw James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰Here is what you can be sure of. And God gives witness to it. What I am writing you is not a lie.

²¹Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. ²²The members of Christ’s churches in Judea did not know me in a personal way. ²³They only heard others say, “The man who used to attack us has changed. He is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴And they praised God because of me.

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