The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

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- Chapter 1 -

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—

and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,(a)

who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!

As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!

Paul Preaches the Gospel

Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.(b)

I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased

to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,

nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas,(c) and I stayed with him fifteen days.

But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.

Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

And they glorified God because of me.

Footnotes

(a)1:3 SBL, BYZ, and TR God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ

(b)1:11 Literally not according to man

Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ,(a) and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

and all the brothers(b) who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—

to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,

but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.

As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

Paul Preaches the Gospel

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.

But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it.

I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace,

to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.

Now about the things which I write to you, behold,(c) before God, I’m not lying.

Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”

So they glorified God in me.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:2 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(c)1:20 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.