10. Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ.
11. Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. The good news I preached is not something a human being made up.
12. No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. Instead, I received it from Jesus Christ. He showed it to me.
13. You have heard of my earlier way of life as a Jew. With all my strength I attacked the church of God. I tried to destroy it.
14. I was moving ahead in my Jewish way of life. I went beyond many Jews who were my own age. I held firmly to the teachings passed down by my people.
15. But God set me apart from the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me. He was pleased
16. to show his Son in my life. He wanted me to preach about Jesus among those who aren't Jews. When God appointed me, I didn't talk to anyone.
17. I didn't go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went at once into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem. I went there to get to know Peter. I stayed with him for 15 days.
19. I didn't see any of the other apostles. I only saw James, the Lord's brother.
20. Here is what you can be sure of. And God gives witness to it. What I am writing you is not a lie.
21. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia.