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].
To the churches in Galatia, from Paul, an apostle whose commission is not from any human authority and is given, not by human beings, 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 from all the followers of the Lord here.
3 [I pray that] God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will kindly [help] you and enable [you to have inner] peace.
May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, bless you and give you peace.
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)
For Christ, to rescue us from this present wicked age, gave himself for our sins, in accordance with the will of our God and Father, (aiōn g165)
to whom be ascribed all 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 am astonished at your so soon deserting him, who called you through the love of Christ, for a different “good news,”
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 really no good news at all. But then, I know that there are people who are harassing you, and who want to pervert the good news of the 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].
Yet even if we – or if an angel from heaven were to tell you any other “good news” than that which we told you, may he be accursed!
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.
We have said it before, and I repeat it now – If anyone tells you a “good news” other than that which you received, may he be accursed!
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.
Is this, I ask, trying to conciliate people, or God? Am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I should not be a 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].
I remind you, friends, that the good news which I told is no mere human invention.
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.
I, at least, did not receive it from any human being, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through a revelation made by 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.
You heard, no doubt, of my conduct when I was devoted to Judaism – how I persecuted the church of God to an extent beyond belief, and tried to destroy 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 how, in my devotion to Judaism, I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my own people in my intense earnestness in upholding the traditions of my ancestors.
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 God, who had set me apart even before my birth, and who called me by his love,
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!]!
saw fit to reveal his Son in me, so that I might tell the good news of him among the Gentiles, then at once, instead of consulting any human being,
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].
or even going up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, I went to Arabia, and came back again 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].
Three years afterwards I went up to Jerusalem to make the acquaintance of Peter, and I stayed a fortnight with him.
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.
I did not, however, see any other apostle, except James, the Master’s brother.
20 God knows that what I am writing to you is completely true [LIT]!
(As to what I am now writing to you, I call God to witness that I am speaking the truth).
21 After [I left Jerusalem], I went to [the regions of] Syria and Cilicia.
Afterwards I went to the districts 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.
But I was still unknown even by sight to the Christian churches in Judea;
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)!”
all that they had heard was – “The man who once persecuted us is now telling the good news of the faith of which he once tried to destroy.”
24 And they praised God because of [what had happened to] me.
And they praised God for my sake.
