Galatians 1:15-24

15But God had chosen me to serve him even before I was born. He chose me to be his servant because he is very kind.

16He decided to show his Son clearly to me, so that I could tell the Gentiles about him. When God chose me to do that, I did not talk about it with any person.

17Nor did I go to Jerusalem to see Christ's apostles there. Those men were already his apostles before I was. But I did not go to talk to them. Instead, I went immediately to the region of Arabia. Later, I went back to the city of Damascus.

18Then, three years later, I did go to Jerusalem. I stayed there with Christ's apostle Peter for 15 days, so that he could teach me.

19I did not see any other apostles, except James, who is the Lord's brother.

20God knows that what I am writing to you is completely true!

21Later, I went to different places in Syria and Cilicia.

22The Christians in the churches in Judea had never met me.

23They had only heard people say this about me: ‘This man caused bad trouble against us Christians before. He tried to destroy God's message about Jesus. But now he himself is telling people the good news about Jesus, so that they believe.’

24When the believers in Judea heard that, they praised God because of me.