AmI not free?AmI not an apostle?Have I not seenJesusour Lord?Are you not my workin the Lord?
SoAnaniasdepartedand enteredthe house,and after layinghis handson him said,"BrotherSaul,the LordJesus,who appearedto you on the roadby whichyou were coming,has sentme sothat you may regain your sightand be filledwith the HolySpirit."
For thisI was appointeda preacherand an apostle(I am tellingthe truth,I am not lying)as a teacherof the Gentilesin faithand truth.
I planted,Apolloswatered,but Godwas causing the growth.
But on the night[immediately] following,the Lordstoodat his side and said,"Take courage;for as you have solemnly witnessedto My causeat Jerusalem,soyou mustwitnessat Romealso."
As he was traveling,it happenedthat he was approachingDamascus,and suddenlya lightfrom heavenflashed aroundhim;
For though I amfreefrom all[men], I have mademyselfa slaveto all,sothat I may winmore.
for whichI was appointeda preacherand an apostleand a teacher.
It was for freedomthat Christset us free;thereforekeep standing firmand do not be subjectagainto a yokeof slavery.
And working together[with Him], we alsourgeyou not to receivethe graceof Godin vain--
Paul,a bond-servantof ChristJesus,called[as] an apostle,set apartfor the gospelof God,
Paul,an apostle(not [sent] from mennorthroughthe agencyof man,but throughJesusChristand Godthe Father,who raisedHim from the dead),
nordid we seekgloryfrom men,eitherfrom you orfrom others,even though as apostlesof Christwe might have assertedour authority.
For I considermyself not in the leastinferiorto the most eminentapostles.
Paul,called[as] an apostleof JesusChristby the willof God,and Sosthenesour brother,
But I am speakingto you who are Gentiles.Inasmuchthenas I aman apostleof Gentiles,I magnifymy ministry,
throughwhomwe have receivedgraceand apostleshipto bring about[the] obedienceof faithamongallthe Gentilesfor His name'ssake,
But when the apostlesBarnabasand Paulheardof it, they toretheir robesand rushedout into the crowd,cryingout
But the peopleof the citywere divided;and somesidedwith the Jews,and somewith the apostles.
While they were ministeringto the Lordand fasting,the HolySpiritsaid,"Set apartfor Me Barnabasand Saulfor the workto whichI have calledthem."
But the Lordsaidto him, "Go,for he is a choseninstrumentof Mine,to bearMy namebeforethe Gentilesand kingsand the sonsof Israel;
And he said,"Whoare You, Lord?"And He [said], "I amJesuswhomyou are persecuting,
I meannot your ownconscience,but the other[man's]; for whyis my freedomjudgedby another'sconscience?
IfI partakewith thankfulness,whyam I slanderedconcerningthat for whichI give thanks?
But ifoneis inclinedto be contentious,we havenootherpractice,norhave the churchesof God.
You are lookingat things as they are outwardly.Ifanyoneis confidentin himselfthat he is Christ's,let him considerthisagainwithinhimself,that justas he is Christ's,soalsoare we.