9 For ^vI am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because ^wI persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, ^xI worked harder than any of them, ^ythough it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

13 For you have heard of ^ymy former life in Judaism, how ^zI persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely ^azealous was I for ^bthe traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he ^cwho had set me apart ^dbefore I was born,¹ and who ^ecalled me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to² me, in order ^fthat I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;³

6 ^xas to zeal, ^ya persecutor of the church; ^zas to righteousness under the law,¹ blameless. 7 But ^awhatever gain I had, ^bI counted as loss for the sake of Christ.