For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.
- KJV For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
- NKJV For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
- NASB For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
- NLT For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul calls himself the least of the apostles because he had persecuted the church. It matters because it shows the depth of grace given to him.
Overview
Mindful of his past as a persecutor of God's assembly, Paul confesses his unworthiness of the apostolic office. This humility magnifies the mercy of Christ rather than diminishing his calling. His example assures sinners that no past is beyond the reach of the grace that meets us in the risen Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Eph 3:7–8I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
- 1 Tim 1:13–15I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
- 2 Cor 12:11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
- Acts 8:3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
- Acts 26:9–11So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Gal 1:23They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
- Acts 9:1–19Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
- 2 Cor 11:5I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”
- Acts 22:4–5I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
- Phil 3:6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
- Gal 1:13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 15:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.