3 ^y“I am a ^zJew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of ^aGamaliel¹ according to the ^bstrict manner of the law of our fathers, being ^czealous for God as all of you are this day.

4 “My manner of life from my ^vyouth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the ^wstrictest party of our religion I have lived as a ^xPharisee.

The Remnant of Israel

1 I ask, then, has God ^arejected his people? By no means! For ^bI myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,¹ a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

22 Are they ^oHebrews? ^pSo am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.

13 For you have heard of my former life in ^uJudaism, how I ^vpersecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And ^wI was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the ^xtraditions of my fathers.