<p>1:16 <i>However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as the chief sinner might Jesus Christ</i><i>- </i>Peter uses the same term in saying that all God's people have obtained mercy (1 Pet. 2:10). He took his friend Paul at his word, seeing in Paul a pattern of everyman's conversion.</p><p><i>Show all his patience</i>- The Lord had spoken of how Paul had kicked against the goads. His patience with Paul was amazing, even allowing him, as it were, to torture and murder Christians until Paul finally surrendered to conversion. This is a template for His patience with us all.</p><p><i>As a pattern- </i>He saw in his conversion a pattern or template for all those who would afterwards believe (see on :15 <i>Faithful is the saying</i>). Having said that he was &quot;chief&quot; of the tribe of sinners, Paul goes straight on to say that this &quot;was so that in me <i>as chief</i> might Jesus Christ shew forth <i>all</i> his longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should later believe on him&quot; (1 Tim. 1:15,16 RV). This sounds as if Paul realized that he was being set up as the chief, supreme example to us; a template for each of us, of forgiveness and zealous response to that forgiveness. His conversion and subsequent spiritual growth are recorded as they are because they are a pattern for every subsequent believer- not just for those involved in preaching and pastoral work. It's because of this, it seems to me, that we have <i>so much</i> information about the man Paul; we really are enabled to enter into his spirit and personality. His physical appearance is stressed (Gal. 4:13,14; 1 Cor. 2:3,4; 2 Cor. 10:10; 12:5,7,9; Phil. 3:21; and especially his hands: Acts 21:11; 27:19; 1 Cor. 4:12). We imagine him as having a dark complexion, seeing he was confused with an Egyptian (Acts 21:38).</p><p><i>To those that would later believe in him to gain eternal life</i>- According to John's Gospel, the eternal life begins now, in that through the work of the Spirit we begin to live the kind of life which we shall eternally live. The Greek literally reads &quot;Believe on Him into eternal life&quot;. Faith in Christ, demonstrated by baptism into Him, results in the Spirit empowering us to live the life eternal, the kind of life we shall eternally live. Paul has touched on this idea in :14.</p>