Galatians 1
1 [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].
Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,
2 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].
And all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia.
3 [I pray that] God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will kindly [help] you and enable [you to have inner] peace.
Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 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)
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present wicked world, according to the will of God and our Father: (aiōn g165)
To whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 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.”
I wonder that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel.
7 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].
Which is not another, only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 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].
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.
9 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.
As we said before, so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema.
10 [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.
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 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].
For I give you to understand, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 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.
For neither did I receive it of man, nor did I learn it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 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.
For you 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.
14 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].
And I made progress in the Jews’ religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 Nevertheless, before I was born, [God] (set me apart/selected me). He chose me [to live eternally], something that I did not deserve.
But when it pleased him, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 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!]!
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, immediately I condescended not to flesh and blood.
17 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].
Neither went I to Jerusalem, to the apostles who were before me: but I went into Arabia, and again I returned to Damascus.
18 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].
Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem, to see Peter, and I tarried with him fifteen days.
19 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.
But other of the apostles I saw none, saving James the brother of the Lord.
20 God knows that what I am writing to you is completely true [LIT]!
Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 After [I left Jerusalem], I went to [the regions of] Syria and Cilicia.
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 [At that time, people in] the Christian congregations that are in Judea [province] still had not met me [SYN] personally.
And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ:
23 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)!”
But they had heard only: He, who persecuted us in times past, doth now preach the faith which once he impugned:
24 And they praised God because of [what had happened to] me.
And they glorified God in me.
