As far as being committed is concerned, I opposed and attacked the church. As far as keeping the law is concerned, I kept it perfectly.

就热心说，我是逼迫教会的；就律法上的义说，我是无可指摘的。

就热心说，我是迫害教会的；就律法上的义说，我是无可指责的。

就热心说，我是迫害教会的；就律法上的义说，我是无可指责的。

论热心，我曾经迫害教会；论律法要求的义，我是无可指责的。

按着热诚来说，我是迫害教会的；按着律法上的义来说，我是无可指摘的。

按照热心说，我曾经逼迫教会；按照律法上的义说，我是无可指责的。

就熱心說，我是逼迫教會的；就律法上的義說，我是無可指摘的。

就熱心說，我是迫害教會的；就律法上的義說，我是無可指責的。

就熱心說，我是迫害教會的；就律法上的義說，我是無可指責的。

論熱心，我曾經迫害教會；論律法要求的義，我是無可指責的。

按著熱誠來說，我是迫害教會的；按著律法上的義來說，我是無可指摘的。

按熱心說呢、我逼迫教會；按律法上的義說呢、我則無可責備。

按照熱心說，我曾經逼迫教會；按照律法上的義說，我是無可指責的。

依熱衷則窘逐教會、依律中之義、則無間然、

論及熱中、則窘逐教會、論及守法稱義、則無疵可摘、

以律法言、則為法利賽人、以熱心言、則窘逐教會、以守律法之義言、則無過可責、

以熱情論、固迫辱聖教會、不遺餘力者也。以守法論、固無懈可擊也。

as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.

concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

But Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged away men and women and put them in prison.

You have heard how I lived earlier in my Jewish way of life. With all my strength I attacked the church of God. I tried to destroy it.I was moving ahead in my Jewish way of life. I went beyond many of my people who were my own age. I held firmly to the teachings passed down by my people.

“ I believed that I should oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. So I did everything I could to oppose his name.That’s just what I was doing in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests, I put many of the Lord’s people in prison. I agreed that they should die.

“ I am a Jew. I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but I grew up here in Jerusalem. I studied with Gamaliel. I was well trained by him in the law given to our people long ago. I wanted to serve God as much as any of you do today.I hurt the followers of the Way of Jesus. I sent many of them to their death. I arrested men and women. I threw them into prison.

Here is what I tell you. You must be more godly than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. If you are not, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

The people of Gibeon weren’t a part of Israel. Instead, they were some of the Amorites who were still left alive. The Israelites had promised to spare them. But Saul had tried to put an end to them. That’s because he wanted to make Israel and Judah strong. So now King David sent for the people of Gibeon and spoke to them.

I can tell you for certain that they really want to serve God. But how they are trying to do it is not based on knowledge.They didn’t know that God’s power makes people right with himself. They tried to get right with God in their own way. They didn’t do it in God’s way.Christ has fulfilled everything the law was meant to do. So now everyone who believes can be right with God.Moses writes about how the law could help a person do what God requires. He writes,“ The person who does these things will live by them.”( Leviticus 18:5)

When they heard this, they praised God. Then they spoke to Paul.“ Brother,” they said,“ you see that thousands of Jews have become believers. All of them try very hard to obey the law.

“ How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You clean the outside of a cup and dish. But on the inside you are full of greed. You only want to satisfy yourselves.

The people of Israel tried to obey the law to make themselves right with God. But they didn’t reach their goal of being right with God.Why not? Because they tried to do it without faith. They tried to be right with God by what they did. They tripped over the stone that causes people to trip and fall.

Before I knew about the law, I was alive. But then the commandment came. Sin came to life, and I died.

Meanwhile, Saul continued to oppose the Lord’s followers. He said they would be put to death. He went to the high priest.He asked the priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus. He wanted to find men and women who belonged to the Way of Jesus. The letters would allow him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.On his journey, Saul approached Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.He fell to the ground. He heard a voice speak to him,“ Saul! Saul! Why are you opposing me?”“ Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.“ I am Jesus,” he replied.“ I am the one you are opposing.Now get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you must do.”The men traveling with Saul stood there. They weren’t able to speak. They had heard the sound. But they didn’t see anyone.Saul got up from the ground. He opened his eyes, but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.For three days he was blind. He didn’t eat or drink anything.In Damascus there was a believer named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision.“ Ananias!” he said.“ Yes, Lord,” he answered.The Lord told him,“ Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.In a vision Saul has seen a man come and place his hands on him. That man’s name is Ananias. In the vision, Ananias placed his hands on Saul so he could see again.”“ Lord,” Ananias answered,“ I’ve heard many reports about this man. They say he has done great harm to your holy people in Jerusalem.Now he has come here to arrest all those who worship you. The chief priests have given him authority to do this.”But the Lord said to Ananias,“ Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will announce my name to the Gentiles and to their kings. He will also announce my name to the people of Israel.I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. He placed his hands on Saul.“ Brother Saul,” he said,“ you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”Right away something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. And he could see again. He got up and was baptized.After eating some food, he got his strength back. Saul spent several days with the believers in Damascus.

They have known me for a long time. So if they wanted to, they could tell you how I have lived. I have lived by the rules of the Pharisees. Those rules are harder to obey than those of any other Jewish group.

I want to be joined to him. Being right with God does not come from my obeying the law. It comes because I believe in Christ. It comes from God because of faith.

I am the least important of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle. I tried to destroy God’s church.

Both of them did what was right in the sight of God. They obeyed all the Lord’s commands and rules faithfully.

“ Teacher,” he said,“ I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy.”Jesus looked at him and loved him.“ You are missing one thing,” he said.“ Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”

Jehu said,“ Come along with me. See how committed I am to serve the Lord.” Jehu had Jehonadab ride along in his chariot.

I used to speak evil things against Jesus. I tried to hurt his followers. I really pushed them around. But God showed me mercy anyway. I did those things without knowing any better. I wasn’t a believer.