Connecting Statement:

Paul begins to tell how he acted in the past.

I was a blasphemer

"I was a person who spoke evil against Christ." Paul is referring to his character before he was a Christian.

"a person who persecuted those who believed in Christ"

"a person who was cruel to other people" or "a person who believed I had the right to hurt others"

"But because I did not believe in Jesus, and I did not know what I was doing, I received mercy from Jesus"

"Jesus showed me mercy" or "Jesus had mercy on me"