1 ¹¹ For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. 1 ¹² For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 ¹³ For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; 1 ¹⁴ and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 1 ¹⁵ But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, 1 ¹⁶ was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, 1 ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.

1 ¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. 1 ¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 1 ²⁰ (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 1 ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 1 ²² And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; 1 ²³ they only heard it said, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 1 ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.