Galatians 1
1 To the churches in Galatia, from Paul, an Apostle whose commission is not from men and is given, not by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead;
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—
2 and from all the Brothers here.
and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:
3 May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, bless you and give you peace.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 For Christ, to rescue us from this present wicked age, gave himself for our sins, in accordance with the will of God and Father, (aiōn g165)
who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, (aiōn g165)
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 I am astonished at your so soon deserting him, who called you through the love of Christ, for a different ‘Good News,’
I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
7 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.
which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 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!
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!
9 We have said it before, and I repeat it now — If any one tells you a ‘Good News’ other than that which you received, may he be accursed!
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!
10 Is this, I ask, trying to conciliate men, or God? Am I seeking to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I should not be a servant of Christ.
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11 I would remind you, Brothers, that the Good News which I told is no mere human invention.
For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.
12 I, at least, did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through a revelation made by Jesus Christ.
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 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 made havoc of it,
For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
14 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.
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when God, who had set me apart even before my birth, and who called me by his love,
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
16 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,
to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
17 or even going up to Jerusalem to see those who were Apostles before me, I went to Arabia, and came back again to Damascus.
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
18 Three years afterwards I went up to Jerusalem to make the acquaintance of Peter, and I stayed a fortnight with him.
Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.
19 I did not, however, see any other Apostle, except James, the Master’s brother.
But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 (As to what I am now writing to you, I call God to witness that I am speaking the truth).
I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
21 Afterwards I went to the districts of Syria and Cilicia.
Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 But I was still unknown even by sight to the Christian Churches in Judea;
I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
23 all that they had heard was — ‘The man who once persecuted us is now telling the Good News of the very Faith of which he once made havoc.’
They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
24 And they praised God on my account.
And they glorified God because of me.
