12 Thanks for God’s Mercy I thank Christ Jesus our Lord because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him. And he gives me strength.

13 In the past I spoke against Christ and persecuted him and did all kinds of things to hurt him. But God showed mercy to me because I did not know what I was doing. I did those things when I did not believe.

14 But the grace of our Lord was fully given to me. And with that grace came the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.