13. You have heard about my past life in the Jewish religion. I persecuted the church of God very much. I tried to destroy his people.
14. I was becoming a leader in the Jewish religion. I did better than most other Jews my own age. I tried harder than anyone else to follow the traditions we got from our ancestors.
15. But God had special plans for me even before I was born. So he chose me through his grace.
16. It pleased him to let me see and know his Son so that I could tell the Good News about him to the non-Jewish people. I immediately prepared to do this work without asking for advice or help from anyone.
17. I did not go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. But, without waiting, I went away to Arabia. Later, I went back to the city of Damascus.
18. Three years later I went to Jerusalem to meet Peter. I stayed with him 15 days.
19. I met no other apostles—only James, the brother of the Lord.
20. God knows there is nothing untrue in any of this.
21. Later, I went to the areas of Syria and Cilicia.