³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.^{(A) 4} He fell to the ground and heard a voice^(B) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”^(C)

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation^(A) or knowledge^(B) or prophecy or word of instruction?^(C)

⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(B) a messenger of Satan,^(C) to torment me.

¹² I did not receive it from any man,^(A) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation^(B) from Jesus Christ.^(C)

² I went in response to a revelation^(A) and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.^(B) I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race^(C) in vain.

³ that is, the mystery^(A) made known to me by revelation,^(B) as I have already written briefly. ⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight^(C) into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.^{(D) 6} This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs^(E) together with Israel, members together of one body,^(F) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.^(G)