Biblical Missionaries Paul: Background and Call

Lesson #11 for September 12, 2015

Scriptures: [Acts 9:1-22; 26:16-18; Philippians 3:6,8; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; Galatians 2:1-17][i].

1.    This lesson focuses on the early experiences of Paul, his dramatic conversion on the Damascus road, and how that impacted his later ministry.

Paul was to the early Christian church what Moses was to the children of Israel. The difference is that while Moses brought God’s people out from the Gentiles in order that Israel would be able to do God’s will, Paul brought God’s Word from Israel to the Gentiles in order that the Gentiles could do the same; that is, to do God’s will. (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Sabbath, September 5)

2.    Apart from Jesus, Paul probably has had more impact on the course of humanity than any other 1st-century person. His three missionary journeys plus whatever he accomplished following his first imprisonment in Rome basically took the gospel to the northern Mediterranean.

3.    Paul is especially known for his clear separation between the essential Christian truths and those troublesome Jewish customs which the Pharisees had so successfully placed on the Jews.

4.    Saul, which was Paul’s Hebrew name, was born in Tarsus not far from the Syrian border in Asia Minor. It was an important city, home to a number of people from different areas in the world. Cicero, one of Rome’s most important orators, lived there for a period of time. It was at Tarsus that Cleopatra made her dramatic entrance as an introduction to Mark Anthony.

5.    Saul, whose name in Hebrew means “asked for [of God],” later took on a Latin name Paulos or Paul in English after he began his mission to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:9ii) We do not know exactly when Paul was born; but, the fact that he was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin almost guarantees that he had a wife and was over the age of 30. We know that his family were Roman citizens since he was born as a Roman citizen. (Acts 22:28iii) We also know that he had a sister and a nephew who lived in Jerusalem. (Acts 23:16iv)

6.    Growing up in a faithful Jewish family, almost certainly he was educated in a synagogue school until the age of 12. It is possible that he went to Jerusalem at that time for his bar mitzvah. In any case, sometime shortly after that, he became a student of the famous Rabban (“this honorary title means ‘our rabbi’”) Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3[v]) As was customary for Jewish males, he learned a manual trade, in his case, tentmaking. (Acts 18:3vi).

7.    Paul was a Pharisee-the term Pharisee means “separated one.” Scholars believe that there were never more than 6000 Pharisees at any one time. The Pharisees were constantly bickering with the Sadducees who favored accommodating more closely with Greek and Roman cultures and ideas. On the other hand, Pharisees believed that the only hope for the Jewish nation was a very strict adherence to biblical and Pharisaical traditions.

8.    As a brilliant student and a Pharisee, it is quite likely that Paul memorized the entire Scriptures-what we now call the Old Testament-in Hebrew. Trained as a Pharisee, he also understood in detail exactly all the Pharisaical traditions and requirements. As such, he was in a preeminent position after becoming a Christian to understand the differences between true biblical requirements and Pharisaical requirements. Are those differences clear in your mind?

9.    When Paul stopped being a Pharisee and a member the Sanhedrin by becoming a Christian, it was like having a general suddenly change sides in a war. No one could claim that they understood Phariseeism any better than Paul! In this respect, Paul was perhaps best known for his insistence that Gentiles who became Christians should not be required to follow all the Jewish traditions including circumcision.

10.    How often down through the centuries have culturally-determined ideas been elevated almost to the level of biblical requirements? How many culturally-determined things do we believe and practice that are not biblically-based? On the other side of the coin, how do we relate to biblically-based practices that are in conflict with the practices and beliefs of those in the world around us? What about our beliefs regarding the Sabbath? Or, the nature of man? Which Christian beliefs do you hold that seem to be most evidently in contrast with the beliefs of the people with whom you associate? How do you deal with such issues?

11.    What kind of a person was Paul?

Personality traits are an individual’s typical responses to surrounding domestic, cultural, or educational circumstances. Character is the combination of traits, qualities, and abilities that make up what sort of person an individual is. (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Monday, September 7)

12.    Read [Acts 9:1; Philippians 3:6,8; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:16; Galatians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 11:23-33vii]. What can we learn about Paul from these passages?

13.    In his early life, Saul/Paul was very zealous for the teachings and practices of the Pharisees. He was trained by the very best-Gamaliel. After becoming a Christian, he suffered just about every kind of persecution and worked very hard so that in every possible way he might win souls for Jesus. If Paul were able to come and did come to your church to work for a while today, how would you relate to him? Was Paul obviously scarred from his beatings and other problems? If we really believe that Jesus is coming soon, shouldn’t we begin acting more like Paul?

14.    It is obvious from passages like 2 Corinthians 11:23-33viii that Paul did a lot of things and had a lot of experiences of which we know nothing. It is very clear from the biblical record that Paul was a man of incredible energy, conviction, and zeal. There were times when he would work all night so that he could preach and teach all day. (AA 352) In his early years, he used that incredible zeal and energy to persecute the church. (Acts 9:1-2; Galatians 1:13ix) In his later years, he used that energy to preach and teach about Jesus.

15.    What do you think Paul was specifically thinking about when he said that he had thrown everything else away apart from his knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, considering all except the knowledge about Jesus as mere refuse or garbage? (Philippians 3:8[x])

16.    How much of our lives is taken up with things that Paul would consider to be rubbish? Do we clearly distinguish between those things which are really important in life and those which are not?

17.    Paul made several statements recorded in the New Testament about how sorry he was and how bad he felt about his former persecution of Christians. (1 Corinthians 15:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:16xi) How many of us have had Paul-like experiences? What do you think Paul said at that first sermon in the synagogue in Damascus? Did he escape into the Arabian desert? Or, did he go there to sort out his “fruit basket upset”-his new paradigm? Paul was so driven by his understanding of the gospel that he could not keep quiet about it. That is why he called himself a “slave.”

One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. It makes apparent the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips.—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 29.1.

18.    Are we as humble as Paul was? Or, are we proud to be Seventh-day Adventists? Should we be? Focusing on the experiences of Jesus and Paul should give every one of us reason to pause and re-evaluate our lives!

19.    Read Acts 9:1-22; 26:16-18xii. From Jerusalem to Damascus is at least 150 miles. God struck him down and told him that he was to be His missionary to the Gentiles. What do you think his Pharisaical friends would have thought of that message? Ananias prayed for him, and the scales fell from his eyes. Paul thought that he must work even harder for Jesus because of what he had done to Christians earlier. Paul immediately began preaching for Jesus until the Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him and kill him. He escaped to the Arabian desert, then back to Damascus, then to Jerusalem, and finally, back to Tarsus, his hometown. Why did he wait some fourteen years and for a call from Barnabas before he really took up his real, God-given task? Or, did he? What did he do during the years in Tarsus? (Galatians 1:18,21; 2:1xiii)

20.    After having that experience with Ananias and the scales falling from his eyes, Paul immediately began to preach to the Jews in Damascus about Christ. Try to imagine what those first sermons sounded like. How could he convince the Christians that he was not laying a trap for them?

21.    Paul apparently took nearly three years in the Arabian desert to rethink all of his Pharisaical ideas in a kind of fruit-basket upset or paradigm shift. (Galatians 1:16-18) What do you think he was doing during those three years? What did his family think had happened to him? Did he send word to them? Or, did he contact them in any way? What did those soldiers who accompanied him to Damascus have to say when they got back to Jerusalem? What about the 10 or 11 years he spent in Tarsus after leaving Jerusalem? (Galatians 1:21; 2:1) What changed after Barnabas called him to Antioch and he associated with others who were preaching to Gentiles? (Acts 11:19-26xiv)

22.    Look carefully at Acts 26:18xv, God’s instructions to Paul. We see five results mentioned there.

23.    From this we can see five results of authentic missionary work:

1.    Open people’s eyes. Make God and Jesus real, present, active, and appealing.

2.    Move from darkness to light, ignorance to knowledge-a core gospel theme. (See Luke 1:78-79xvi.)

3.    Turn from the power of Satan to God.

4.    Receive forgiveness of sins. The problem of sin has a solution. This is the living, healing, core message of Christians.

5.    Receive a place among the sanctified; this means membership in God’s church, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or nationality. (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Tuesday, September 8)

24.    What did Paul say or do that made Christianity attractive to the Gentiles?

25.    When speaking to the Jews, was he successful specifically in convincing many of them that Christ was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies? What did Paul say to Gentiles? His speech is recorded in Acts 17:22-31xvii. However, considering his later comments in Corinth, he did not think that approach was his best one.

26.    Read [Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2; Galatians 6:14; Philippians 1:15-18xviii]. When Paul stated that his mission was to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, was that to suggest that Paul focused on the crucifixion of Jesus and its meaning for humanity as opposed to His resurrection which is what most Christians want to focus on today? Can we explain the crucifixion of Jesus in a way that makes God look good? How successful are we today at keeping the crucifixion of Christ, in fact, the entire story of His life and death and resurrection, prominent in our interaction with others?

27.    Let us be clear. Paul did much more than just introduce his audiences to Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He went on to nurture and correct, where necessary, the churches he planted. If we look carefully at the letters Paul wrote, he dealt with many problems in the churches which he had established and gave a lot of advice on organizing churches and even gave directions to pastors and deacons.

28.    All of us are born very egocentric. As we grow, partially depending upon our exposure to people of different cultural habits, we may come to think of all others as different from ourselves. We might develop an us-versus-them attitude. To the Greeks, anyone who did not speak Greek was a “barbarian.” To the Jews, all non-Jews were Gentiles. This became a huge issue in the early Christian church.

29.    Read Galatians 2:1-17xix. In this passage, we have a clear example of Paul’s dealings with anyone, including apostles like Peter, who slipped back into their racial prejudices.

30.

When Peter, at a later date, visited Antioch, he won the confidence of many by his prudent conduct toward the Gentile converts. For a time he acted in accordance with the light given from heaven. He so far overcame his natural prejudice as to sit at table with the Gentile converts. But when certain Jews who were zealous for the ceremonial law came from Jerusalem, Peter injudiciously changed his deportment toward the converts from paganism. A number of the Jews “dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.” This revelation of weakness on the part of those who had been respected and loved as leaders left a most painful impression on the minds of the Gentile believers. The church was threatened with division. But Paul, who saw the subverting influence of the wrong done to the church through the double part acted by Peter, openly rebuked him for thus disguising his true sentiments. In the presence of the church, Paul inquired of Peter, “If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Galatians 2:13-14.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 197.3-198.0.

31.

Paul’s complex background as a devout Pharisee, student of Rabban Gamaliel, Roman citizen, fundamentalist persecuting zealot, and finally convert and apostle of Jesus Christ, eminently qualified him to distinguish timeless, unchanging divine absolutes on one hand and their temporary cultural and religious vehicles on the other. (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Thursday, September 10)

32.    How good are we at distinguishing between biblically-based absolutes to our faith and cultural, social, or even personal preferences? Are we truly ready to accept all others as brothers and sisters in Christ?

33.    How do you understand 1 Corinthians 9:19-23? Paul was discussing what modern missiologists call contextualization. What is contextualization?

34.    It involves:

Attempts to communicate the Gospel in word and deed and to establish the church in ways that make sense to people within their local cultural context, presenting Christianity in such a way that it meets people’s deepest needs and penetrates their worldview, thus allowing them to follow Christ and remain within their own culture.—Darrell L. Whiteman, “Contextualization: The Theory, the Gap, the Challenge,” international Bulletin of Missionary Research, vol. 21 (January 1997): p. 2.

35.

Jerusalem was the metropolis of the Jews, and it was there that the greatest exclusiveness and bigotry were found. The Jewish Christians living within sight of the temple naturally allowed their minds to revert to the peculiar privileges of the Jews as a nation. When they saw the Christian church departing from the ceremonies and traditions of Judaism, and perceived that the peculiar sacredness with which the Jewish customs had been invested would soon be lost sight of in the light of the new faith, many grew indignant with Paul as the one who had, in a large measure, caused this change. Even the disciples were not all prepared to accept willingly the decision of the council. Some were zealous for the ceremonial law, and they regarded Paul with disfavor because they thought that his principles in regard to the obligations of the Jewish law were lax.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 197.1. [Bold type is added.]

36.    Unfortunately, the cultural bigotry of the apostles and church leaders in Jerusalem ultimately led to Paul’s arrest and imprisonment. (Acts of the Apostles 405.1-2) How should we relate to others even within the hierarchy of our Christian community who are still operating from prejudicial grounds?

37.    What is the appropriate way to practice contextualization? Clearly, Paul tried to get as close as possible to his converts so they would feel comfortable with him as they came to accept his new religion.

38.    How did Paul’s background affect his ministry?

39.    No one could say that Paul did not understand the Pharisaical position. He had been at the extremes of that in the past. And he could give his personal testimony about why he changed and the miraculous circumstances that led to that change. It would be very difficult to argue against his story.

40.    Do people who have gone deep into the sins of the world and then have been converted and come back to the truth have a more compelling personal experience than those of us who have been Christians, at least in name, all of our lives?

41.    Read [2 Corinthians 11-12; Jeremiah 9:23-24xx]. Is it ever wrong to boast about what God has done in our lives? But, we must be careful not to boast about how good we are even if we admit that it is a result of God’s work. Do we clearly perceive and admit that without Jesus Christ every one of us would be a hopeless sinner? Have you tried recently to use your own personal experience as an evangelistic tool? Think of all the skills that Paul brought to his work. He was clearly a formidable organizer, strategizer, spiritual leader, and soul winner. After the Damascus road experience, he became zealous in his lifetime commitment to Jesus Christ.

42.    Consider some of the comparisons and contrasts between Jonah and Paul. Both of them initially seemed to rebel against God’s influence in their lives. Both were confronted by God and given a specific message to carry to their audience. What was significantly different about Jonah’s experience from Paul’s? What was the difference between Jonah’s attitude toward his audience and Paul’s attitude toward his?

43.    When we think about Paul who wrote nearly half of the New Testament, it is easy to think of him as some giant of intellect-driven, skilled, brilliant, and a missionary par excellence. But, he was also human.

44.    Do you think the time could come when modern Christians might have to go through some of the kinds of experiences that Paul went through? Are you prepared for that?

45.    Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21xxi. What a change had taken place in Paul. No one could say that he had not been changed from an enemy of God into a friend of God! Although we do not know exactly what Paul did during those nearly 3 years in the Arabian desert or even during the 10 or 11 years in Tarsus before being called by Barnabas, Paul used every method he could think of to plant, grow, nurture, and help as well as correct the churches with which he worked as he and Barnabas went to work in Antioch as well as in his later missionary journeys. It is a well-known fact that new churches are much more evangelistic, better at reaching out to others, than are larger, more-established churches. Church statistics tell us that on average every four hours a new Seventh-day Adventist Church and many companies and small groups are established somewhere in the world. How active are we at evangelizing and spreading the gospel to those around us? Do we speak up on behalf of Jesus Christ whenever possible? Or, are we too embarrassed? Are we comfortable in getting close to those with whom we associate so that we might in some way influenced them for the gospel?

i-Acts 9:The Conversion of Saul

9 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.

3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said. 6 “But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.

10 There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, “Ananias!”

“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord said to him, “Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.”

13 Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel. 16 And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.”

17 So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized; 19 and after he had eaten, his strength came back.

Saul Preaches in Damascus

Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus. 20 He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.

21 All who heard him were amazed and asked, “Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not answer him.

Act 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant. You are to tell others what you have seen of me[a] today and what I will show you in the future. 17 I will rescue you from the people of Israel and from the Gentiles to whom I will send you. 18 You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.’

Philippians 3:6 and I was so zealous that I persecuted the church. As far as a person can be righteous by obeying the commands of the Law, I was without fault. 8 Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ

1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of all the apostles—I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. 10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.

Galatians 2:Paul and the Other Apostles

2 Fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went because God revealed to me that I should go. In a private meeting with the leaders I explained the gospel message that I preach to the Gentiles. I did not want my work in the past or in the present to be a failure. 3 My companion Titus, even though he is Greek, was not forced to be circumcised, 4 although some wanted it done. Pretending to be believers, these men slipped into our group as spies, in order to find out about the freedom we have through our union with Christ Jesus. They wanted to make slaves of us, 5 but in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give in to them for a minute.

6 But those who seemed to be the leaders—I say this because it makes no difference to me what they were; God does not judge by outward appearances—those leaders, I say, made no new suggestions to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that God had given me the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the task of preaching the gospel to the Jews. 8 For by God's power I was made an apostle to the Gentiles, just as Peter was made an apostle to the Jews. 9 James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be the leaders, recognized that God had given me this special task; so they shook hands with Barnabas and me, as a sign that we were all partners. We agreed that Barnabas and I would work among the Gentiles and they among the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should remember the needy in their group, which is the very thing I have[a] been eager to do.

Paul Rebukes Peter at Antioch

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him in public, because he was clearly wrong. 12 Before some men who had been sent by James arrived there, Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers. But after these men arrived, he drew back and would not eat with the Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who were in favor of circumcising them. 13 The other Jewish believers also started acting like cowards along with Peter; and even Barnabas was swept along by their cowardly action. 14 When I saw that they were not walking a straight path in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you have been living like a Gentile, not like a Jew. How, then, can you try to force Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Jews and Gentiles Are Saved by Faith

15 Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” as they are called. 16 Yet we know that a person is put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the Law requires. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be put right with God through our faith in Christ, and not by doing what the Law requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what the Law requires. 17 If, then, as we try to be put right with God by our union with Christ, we are found to be sinners, as much as the Gentiles are—does this mean that Christ is serving the cause of sin? By no means!

ii-Acts 13:9 Then Saul—also known as Paul—was filled with the Holy Spirit; he looked straight at the magician

iii-Acts 22:28 The commander said, “I became one by paying a large amount of money.”

“But I am one by birth,” Paul answered.

iv-Acts 23:16 But the son of Paul's sister heard about the plot; so he went to the fort and told Paul.

v-Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in Jerusalem as a student of Gamaliel. I received strict instruction in the Law of our ancestors and was just as dedicated to God as are all of you who are here today.

vi-Acts 18:3 and stayed and worked with them, because he earned his living by making tents, just as they did.

vii-Acts 9:9 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest

Philippians 3:6 and I was so zealous that I persecuted the church. As far as a person can be righteous by obeying the commands of the Law, I was without fault. 8 Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ

1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of all the apostles—I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. 10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.

1 Timothy 1:16 but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life.

Galatians 1:14 I was ahead of most other Jews of my age in my practice of the Jewish religion, and was much more devoted to the traditions of our ancestors.

2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman—but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often. 24 Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; 25 three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. 26 In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from my own people and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. 27 There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. 28 And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.

30 If I must boast, I will boast about things that show how weak I am. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus—blessed be his name forever!—knows that I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas placed guards at the city gates to arrest me. 33 But I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.

viii-2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman—but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often. 24 Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; 25 three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. 26 In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from my own people and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. 27 There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. 28 And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.

30 If I must boast, I will boast about things that show how weak I am. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus—blessed be his name forever!—knows that I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas placed guards at the city gates to arrest me. 33 But I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.

ix-Acts 9:9 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.

Galatians 1:13 You have been told how I used to live when I was devoted to the Jewish religion, how I persecuted without mercy the church of God and did my best to destroy it.

x-Philippians 3:8 Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ

xi-1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of all the apostles—I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. 10 But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.

1 Timothy 1:16 but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life.

xii-Acts 9:The Conversion of Saul

9 In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.

3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said. 6 “But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.

10 There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, “Ananias!”

“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord said to him, “Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.”

13 Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel. 16 And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.”

17 So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized; 19 and after he had eaten, his strength came back.

Saul Preaches in Damascus

Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus. 20 He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the Son of God.

21 All who heard him were amazed and asked, “Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul's preaching became even more powerful, and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews who lived in Damascus could not answer him.

Acts 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant. You are to tell others what you have seen of me[a] today and what I will show you in the future. 17 I will rescue you from the people of Israel and from the Gentiles to whom I will send you. 18 You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.’

xiii-Galatians 1:18 It was three years later that I went to Jerusalem to obtain information from Peter, and I stayed with him for two weeks. 21 Afterward I went to places in Syria and Cilicia.

Galatians 2:1 Fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.

xiv-Acts 11:The Church at Antioch

19 Some of the believers who were scattered by the persecution which took place when Stephen was killed went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the message to Jews only. 20 But other believers, who were from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and proclaimed the message to Gentiles[a] also, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's power was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22 The news about this reached the church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad and urged them all to be faithful and true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and many people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he took him to Antioch, and for a whole year the two met with the people of the church and taught a large group. It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.

xv-Acts 26:18 You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.’

xvi-Luke 1:Good News Translation (GNT)

78 Our God is merciful and tender.

He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us

79     and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death,

to guide our steps into the path of peace.”

xvii-Acts 17:Good News Translation (GNT)

22 Paul stood up in front of the city council and said, “I see that in every way you Athenians are very religious. 23 For as I walked through your city and looked at the places where you worship, I found an altar on which is written, ‘To an Unknown God.’ That which you worship, then, even though you do not know it, is what I now proclaim to you. 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. 25 Nor does he need anything that we can supply by working for him, since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything else to everyone. 26 From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live. 27 He did this so that they would look for him, and perhaps find him as they felt around for him. Yet God is actually not far from any one of us; 28 as someone has said,

‘In him we live and move and exist.’

It is as some of your poets have said,

‘We too are his children.’

29 Since we are God's children, we should not suppose that his nature is anything like an image of gold or silver or stone, shaped by human art and skill. 30 God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways. 31 For he has fixed a day in which he will judge the whole world with justice by means of a man he has chosen. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising that man from death!”

xviii-Romans 15:19 by the power of miracles and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. And so, in traveling all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have proclaimed fully the Good News about Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:23 As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles;

1 Corinthians 2:2 For while I was with you, I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross.

Galatians 6:14 As for me, however, I will boast only about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; for by means of his cross the world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world.

Philippians 1:15 Of course some of them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others from genuine good will. 16 These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel. 17 The others do not proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison.

18 It does not matter! I am happy about it—just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy,

xix-Galatians 2:Paul and the Other Apostles

2 Fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went because God revealed to me that I should go. In a private meeting with the leaders I explained the gospel message that I preach to the Gentiles. I did not want my work in the past or in the present to be a failure. 3 My companion Titus, even though he is Greek, was not forced to be circumcised, 4 although some wanted it done. Pretending to be believers, these men slipped into our group as spies, in order to find out about the freedom we have through our union with Christ Jesus. They wanted to make slaves of us, 5 but in order to keep the truth of the gospel safe for you, we did not give in to them for a minute.

6 But those who seemed to be the leaders—I say this because it makes no difference to me what they were; God does not judge by outward appearances—those leaders, I say, made no new suggestions to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that God had given me the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the task of preaching the gospel to the Jews. 8 For by God's power I was made an apostle to the Gentiles, just as Peter was made an apostle to the Jews. 9 James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be the leaders, recognized that God had given me this special task; so they shook hands with Barnabas and me, as a sign that we were all partners. We agreed that Barnabas and I would work among the Gentiles and they among the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should remember the needy in their group, which is the very thing I have[a] been eager to do.

Paul Rebukes Peter at Antioch

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him in public, because he was clearly wrong. 12 Before some men who had been sent by James arrived there, Peter had been eating with the Gentile believers. But after these men arrived, he drew back and would not eat with the Gentiles, because he was afraid of those who were in favor of circumcising them. 13 The other Jewish believers also started acting like cowards along with Peter; and even Barnabas was swept along by their cowardly action. 14 When I saw that they were not walking a straight path in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you have been living like a Gentile, not like a Jew. How, then, can you try to force Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Jews and Gentiles Are Saved by Faith

15 Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” as they are called. 16 Yet we know that a person is put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the Law requires. We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be put right with God through our faith in Christ, and not by doing what the Law requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what the Law requires. 17 If, then, as we try to be put right with God by our union with Christ, we are found to be sinners, as much as the Gentiles are—does this mean that Christ is serving the cause of sin? By no means!

xx-2 Corinthians 11:Paul and the False Apostles

11 I wish you would tolerate me, even when I am a bit foolish. Please do! 2 I am jealous for you, just as God is; you are like a pure virgin whom I have promised in marriage to one man only, Christ himself. 3 I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ—in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake's clever lies. 4 For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!

5 I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called “apostles” of yours! 6 Perhaps I am an amateur in speaking, but certainly not in knowledge; we have made this clear to you at all times and in all conditions.

7 I did not charge you a thing when I preached the Good News of God to you; I humbled myself in order to make you important. Was that wrong of me? 8 While I was working among you, I was paid by other churches. I was robbing them, so to speak, in order to help you. 9 And during the time I was with you I did not bother you for help when I needed money; the believers who came from Macedonia brought me everything I needed. As in the past, so in the future: I will never be a burden to you! 10 By Christ's truth in me, I promise that this boast of mine will not be silenced anywhere in all of Achaia. 11 Do I say this because I don't love you? God knows I love you!

12 I will go on doing what I am doing now, in order to keep those other “apostles” from having any reason for boasting and saying that they work in the same way that we do. 13 Those men are not true apostles—they are false apostles, who lie about their work and disguise themselves to look like real apostles of Christ. 14 Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light! 15 So it is no great thing if his servants disguise themselves to look like servants of righteousness. In the end they will get exactly what their actions deserve.

Paul's Sufferings as an Apostle

16 I repeat: no one should think that I am a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool, just so I will have a little to boast of. 17 Of course what I am saying now is not what the Lord would have me say; in this matter of boasting I am really talking like a fool. 18 But since there are so many who boast for merely human reasons, I will do the same. 19 You yourselves are so wise, and so you gladly tolerate fools! 20 You tolerate anyone who orders you around or takes advantage of you or traps you or looks down on you or slaps you in the face. 21 I am ashamed to admit that we were too timid to do those things!

But if anyone dares to boast about something—I am talking like a fool—I will be just as daring. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 23 Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman—but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often. 24 Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; 25 three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three shipwrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. 26 In my many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from my own people and from Gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. 27 There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. 28 And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.

30 If I must boast, I will boast about things that show how weak I am. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus—blessed be his name forever!—knows that I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas placed guards at the city gates to arrest me. 33 But I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.

Paul's Visions and Revelations

12 I have to boast, even though it doesn't do any good. But I will now talk about visions and revelations given me by the Lord. 2 I know a certain Christian man who fourteen years ago was snatched up to the highest heaven (I do not know whether this actually happened or whether he had a vision—only God knows). 3-4 I repeat, I know that this man was snatched to Paradise (again, I do not know whether this actually happened or whether it was a vision—only God knows), and there he heard things which cannot be put into words, things that human lips may not speak. 5 So I will boast about this man—but I will not boast about myself, except the things that show how weak I am. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will not boast, because I do not want any of you to have a higher opinion of me than you have as a result of what you have seen me do and heard me say.

7 But to keep me from being puffed up with pride because of the many wonderful things I saw, I was given a painful physical ailment, which acts as Satan's messenger to beat me and keep me from being proud. 8 Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away. 9 But his answer was: “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me. 10 I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul's Concern for the Corinthians

11 I am acting like a fool—but you have made me do it. You are the ones who ought to show your approval of me. For even if I am nothing, I am in no way inferior to those very special “apostles” of yours. 12 The many miracles and wonders that prove that I am an apostle were performed among you with much patience. 13 How were you treated any worse than the other churches, except that I did not bother you for financial help? Please forgive me for being so unfair!

14 This is now the third time that I am ready to come to visit you—and I will not make any demands on you. It is you I want, not your money. After all, children should not have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children. 15 I will be glad to spend all I have, and myself as well, in order to help you. Will you love me less because I love you so much?

16 You will agree, then, that I was not a burden to you. But someone will say that I was tricky, and trapped you with lies. 17 How? Did I take advantage of you through any of the messengers I sent? 18 I begged Titus to go, and I sent the other believer with him. Would you say that Titus took advantage of you? Do not he and I act from the very same motives and behave in the same way?

19 Perhaps you think that all along we have been trying to defend ourselves before you. No! We speak as Christ would have us speak in the presence of God, and everything we do, dear friends, is done to help you. 20 I am afraid that when I get there I will find you different from what I would like you to be and you will find me different from what you would like me to be. I am afraid that I will find quarreling and jealousy, hot tempers and selfishness, insults and gossip, pride and disorder. 21 I am afraid that the next time I come my God will humiliate me in your presence, and I shall weep over many who sinned in the past and have not repented of the immoral things they have done—their lust and their sexual sins.

Jeremiah 9:Good News Translation (GNT)

23 The LORD says,

“The wise should not boast of their wisdom,

nor the strong of their strength,

nor the rich of their wealth.

24 If any want to boast,

they should boast that they know and understand me,

because my love is constant,

and I do what is just and right.

These are the things that please me.

I, the LORD, have spoken.”

xxi-2 Corinthians 5:17 Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. 18 All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also. 19 Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ.[a] God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.

20 Here we are, then, speaking for Christ, as though God himself were making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ's behalf: let God change you from enemies into his friends! 21 Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God.

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