nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Parallel translations
- WEB nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.
- KJV Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
- BSB nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
- NASB nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
- NLT Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.
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
Rather than going to the Jerusalem apostles, Paul withdrew to Arabia and then returned to Damascus. His gospel was not derived from the other apostles.
Overview
Paul continues proving his independence: he did not seek validation from those who were apostles before him. His time in Arabia and Damascus, away from Jerusalem, shows his message was not secondhand. This protects the gospel from the charge of being a human tradition passed down through a chain of teachers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Acts 9:20–25Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
- 2 Cor 11:32–33In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.
- Gal 1:18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
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Original language
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