The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Chief -- "first in order" Matthew 9:12; Luke 19:10 . Paul cannot mean that he now sins more than anyone in the world, for he elsewhere says that he has lived before God with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16), and he asks other believers to follow his example (see note on Philippians 3:17). 