Through him we received grace to become apostles to the Gentiles and through that grace to bring them to obedience to God by trusting in Jesus. We do this to bring glory to him.
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. “We had to speak God’s word to you first,” they said. “But you haven’t accepted it, as if you think you don’t deserve eternal life. So we’re going to talk to the Gentiles from now on.
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! I’ve chosen this man to do a special work for me. He will announce my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
I was appointed to be a messenger and an apostle to preach the good news. (I’m telling the truth; I’m not lying.) God appointed me to be a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
that has come to you. In the same way, the good news is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
By the grace that has been given to me, I say to every one of you, don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Have a reasonable view of yourself, based on the faith God has given to each of you.
God has enabled me to explain to everyone how this mystery has become a reality. In times past it was kept hidden in the mind of God, who created all things.