A Reason for your Faith
Pastoral Intern Trevor Hollis
Paul Defends His Ministry
11 For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is not [a]of human invention. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my [b]countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15 But when [c]He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with [d]flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to [e]become acquainted with [f]Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I did not see another one of the apostles except [g]James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now in what I am writing to you, [h]I assure you before God that I am not lying.) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was still unknown by [i]sight to the churches of Judea which are in Christ; 23 but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they were glorifying God [j]because of me.
