But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Separated, х aforisas (G873)] - 'set me apart' in His electing love (cf. Acts 9:15; Acts 22:14), in order to show in me His 'pleasure,' which is the farthest point that any can reach in inquiring the causes of his salvation. The actual 'separating' to the work marked out for him is mentioned Acts 13:2; Romans 1:1. There is an allusion, perhaps by contrast, to the derivation of Pharisee from the Hebrew х paarash (H6567)], "separated." I was once a so-called Pharisee or Separatist; but God had separated me to something far better.
From my mother's womb - thus merit in me was out of the question in His call (Psalms 22:9; Psalms 71:6; Isaiah 49:1; Isaiah 49:5; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:15; Romans 8:30; Romans 9:11).
Called me - on the way to Damascus, (Acts 9:1-43.) The moving cause of His call was God's 'good pleasure' х eudokia (G2107)]; the mediating cause х dia (G1223)] was His "grace;" the instrument, the heaven-sent voice (Ellicott).