Galatians 1
1 This letter comes from Paul, an apostle not appointed by any human organization or human authority. Quite the contrary: I was appointed by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead.
Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through a man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
2 All the brothers and sisters here with me join in sending this letter to the churches in Galatia.
and all the brothers with me, to the congregations in Galatia:
3 May the grace and peace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Jesus gave himself for our sins to set us free from this current world of evil, following the will of our God and Father. (aiōn g165)
who gave Himself for our sins, so that He might deliver us out of this present malignant age, according to the will of our God and Father, (aiōn g165)
to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 I'm shocked at how quickly you're abandoning the God who by the grace of Christ called you. You are turning to a different kind of good news
I am sadly surprised that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ, to a different gospel
7 that isn't good news at all! Some people there are confusing you, wanting to pervert the good news of Christ.
—it is not a mere variation, but certain people are unsettling you and wanting to distort the Gospel of the Christ.
8 But if anyone, even we ourselves, or even an angel from heaven, should promote any other kind of good news than what we have already told you, let them be condemned!
Now even if we, or an angel out of heaven, should preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed!
9 I repeat what we've told you before: if anyone promotes any other kind of good news than what you've already accepted, let them be condemned!
As we have just said, I here emphatically repeat: If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed!
10 Whose approval do you think I want—that of people, or of God? Do you think I'm trying to please people? If I wanted to please people I wouldn't be a servant of Christ!
Am I just now appealing to men, or to God? Or am I trying to please men? You see, if I were still pleasing men I would not be a slave of Christ.
11 Let me make it clear, my friends, regarding the good news I'm declaring—it did not come from any human being.
Now I want you to know, brothers, that the Gospel preached by me is not according to man;
12 I didn't receive it from anyone, and nobody taught it to me—it was Jesus Christ who revealed it to me.
because I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather it came through a revelation from Christ.
13 You heard how I behaved as a follower of the Jewish religion—how I fanatically persecuted God's church, savagely trying to destroy it.
You have heard of my former conduct while in Judaism, how I was rabid in my persecution of God's Church and tried to annihilate it;
14 I surpassed my contemporaries in the practice of the Jewish religion because I was so fervently devoted to the traditions of my ancestors.
indeed I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age, being far more zealous for the traditions of my forefathers.
15 But when God (who had set me apart from birth) called me through his grace, and was pleased
But when God—who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me through His grace—resolved
16 to reveal his Son to me so that I could announce the good news to the nations, I didn't discuss this with anyone.
to reveal His Son in me so that I might proclaim Him among the nations/Gentiles, I did not start by consulting with flesh and blood,
17 I didn't go to Jerusalem to talk to those who preceded me as apostles; instead I left for Arabia, and then later returned to Damascus.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before I was; rather I went off into Arabia, and then returned to Damascus.
18 After three years I went to Jerusalem to visit Peter. I stayed with him for two weeks.
Subsequently, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to compare notes with Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 I didn't see any other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
(I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
20 (Let me assure you before God that I'm not lying about what I'm writing to you!)
Really, before God, I am not lying in what I write to you.)
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 Even so, my face wasn't known to those in the churches of Judea.
So I remained unknown by face to the congregations of Judea (those in Christ)
23 They had only heard people say, “The man who used to persecute us is now spreading the faith he once tried to destroy!”
—they just kept hearing that “He who once persecuted us now proclaims the faith he formerly tried to destroy.”
24 —and they praised God because of me.
And they glorified God about me.
