Galatians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Only One Gospel

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb and called me through His grace,16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lords brother.20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.23 But they were hearing only, He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.24 And they glorified God in me.

GALATIANS 1

1-2 From the apostle Paul and from all the Lord's followers with me.
I was chosen to be an apostle by Jesus Christ and by God the Father, who raised him from death. No mere human chose or appointed me to this work.
To the churches in Galatia:
3 I pray that God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace! 4 Christ obeyed God our Father and gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins to rescue us from this evil world.

5 God will be given glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Only True Message

9 I have said it before, and I will say it again. I hope God will punish anyone who preaches anything different from what you have already believed.

10 I am not trying to please people. I want to please God. Do you think I am trying to please people? If I were doing that, I would not be a servant of Christ.

How Paul Became //an Apostle

12 It wasn't given or taught to me by some mere human. My message came directly from Jesus Christ when he appeared to me.
13  t You know how I used to live as a Jew. I was cruel to God's church and even tried to destroy it. 14 t I was a much better Jew than anyone else my own age, and I obeyed every law our ancestors had given us. 15 t But even before I was born, God had chosen me by his gift of undeserved grace and had decided 16 to show me his Son, so I would announce his message to the Gentiles. I didn't talk this over with anyone.

17 I didn't say a word, not even to the men in Jerusalem who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus.
18  t Three years later I went to visit Petert in Jerusalem and stayed with him for 15 days. 19 The only other apostle I saw was James, the Lord's brother.

20 And in the presence of God I swear I am telling the truth.
21 Later, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 But no one who belonged to Christ's churches in Judea had ever seen me in person. 23 They had only heard that the one who had been cruel to them was now preaching the message that he had once tried to destroy. 24 And because of me, they praised God.