Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead; )
[I], Paul, [write this letter to you. I remind you that I am] an apostle. That is not because a group of people [appointed me], nor because a human being [sent me to be an apostle]. Instead, Jesus Christ and God [our heavenly] Father, who caused Jesus to become alive again after he died, have [appointed and] sent [me to be an apostle].
2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
All the fellow believers [who are here] with me [approve of this message that I am writing. I am sending this letter] to the congregations that [are] in Galatia [province].
3 Grace [be] to you and peace from God the Father, and [from] our Lord Jesus Christ,
[I pray that] God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will kindly [help] you and enable [you to have inner] peace.
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (aiōn g165)
Christ offered himself [as a sacrifice] in order that [he might remove the guilt for] our sins. He did that in order that he might enable us to not [do the evil things that people who do not know him] do. [He did this] because God, who is our Father, wanted it. (aiōn g165)
[I pray that people will] praise God forever. (May it be so!/Amen!) (aiōn g165)
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
I am very disappointed [IRO] that so soon [after you trusted in Christ] you have turned away from [God]. He chose you in order that [you might have what] Christ freely/kindly gives. I am also disappointed that so soon you are believing a different [message which some say is] “good news.”
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Their message is not a true message. [What is happening is that] certain persons are confusing your [minds]. They are desiring to change the good message (that Christ [revealed/about] Christ) [and are creating another message].
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
But even if we [(exc) apostles] or an angel from heaven would tell you a message that is different from the good message that we told you [before], I [appeal to God] that [he] punish such a person [forever].
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
As I told you previously, so now I tell you this once more: Someone is telling you [what he says is] a good message, but it is a message that is different from [the good message] that I gave you. So I [appeal to God] that [he] severely punish that person.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
[I said that] because [RHQ] I do not desire that people approve me, [contrary to what some have said about me]. It is God whom I desire to approve me. [Specifically, I do not say and do] [RHQ] things just to please people. If it were still people whom I was trying to please, then I would not be one who [willingly and completely] serves Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
My fellow believers, I want you to know that the message about Christ that I proclaim to people is not one that some person [created/thought up].
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I did not receive this message from a human [messenger], and no [human being] taught it to me. Instead, Jesus Christ revealed it to me.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
People have told you how I used to behave when [I practiced] the Jewish religion. They told you that I continually did very harmful things to the groups of believers that God [established], and they told you that I tried to get rid of those people.
14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
I practiced the Jewish religion more thoroughly than many [other Jews] who were my age practiced it. I much more enthusiastically tried to get others to obey the traditions that my ancestors [kept].
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called [me] by his grace,
Nevertheless, before I was born, [God] (set me apart/selected me). He chose me [to live eternally], something that I did not deserve.
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
He wanted me to know that Jesus is (his Son/the man who is also God), so that I would tell others the message about him in regions where non-Jews live. But I did not immediately go to any human beings [SYN] in order to gain [an understanding of that message. I received it directly from Christ!]!
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
I did not [immediately] leave Damascus and go to Jerusalem [for that purpose] to those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away to Arabia [region, a desert area]. Later I returned once more to Damascus [city].
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Then three years after [God revealed this good message to me], I went up to Jerusalem in order that I might meet Peter. But I stayed with him for [only] 15 days, [which was not long enough for him to teach me thoroughly about Christ].
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
I also saw James, the brother of our Lord [Jesus and the leader of the believers there, but] I did not see any other apostle.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
God knows that what I am writing to you is completely true [LIT]!
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
After [I left Jerusalem], I went to [the regions of] Syria and Cilicia.
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
[At that time, people in] the Christian congregations that are in Judea [province] still had not met me [SYN] personally.
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
They only heard [others say about me] repeatedly, “[Paul], the one who was formerly doing harmful things to us, is now telling the [same message] which we believe and which formerly he was trying (to destroy/to cause people to stop believing)!”
24 And they glorified God in me.
And they praised God because of [what had happened to] me.
