The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

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- Chapter 1 -

Paul, an Apostle, not from men and not through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,

and all the brothers who are with me: to the churches of Galatia.

Grace and peace to you from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself on behalf of our sins, so that he might deliver us from this present wicked age, according to the will of God our Father.

To him is glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

I wonder that you have been so quickly transferred, from him who called you into the grace of Christ, over to another gospel.

For there is no other, except that there are some persons who disturb you and who want to overturn the Gospel of Christ.

But if anyone, even we ourselves or an Angel from Heaven, were to preach to you a gospel other than the one that we have preached to you, let him be anathema.

Just as we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone has preached a gospel to you, other than that which you have received, let him be anathema.

Paul Preaches the Gospel

For am I now persuading men, or God? Or, am I seeking to please men? If I still were pleasing men, then I would not be a servant of Christ.

For I would have you understand, brothers, that the Gospel which has been preached by me is not according to man.

And I did not receive it from man, nor did I learn it, except through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my former behavior within Judaism: that, beyond measure, I persecuted the Church of God and fought against Her.

And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my equals among my own kind, having proven to be more abundant in zeal toward the traditions of my fathers.

But, when it pleased him who, from my mother’s womb, had set me apart, and who has called me by his grace,

to reveal his Son within me, so that I might evangelize him among the Gentiles, I did not next seek the consent of flesh and blood.

Neither did I go to Jerusalem, to those who were Apostles before me. Instead, I went into Arabia, and next I returned to Damascus.

And then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter; and I stayed with him for fifteen days.

But I saw none of the other Apostles, except James, the brother of the Lord.(a)

Now what I am writing to you: behold, before God, I am not lying.

Next, I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

But I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ.

For they had only heard that: “He, who formerly persecuted us, now evangelizes the faith which he once fought.”

And they glorified God in me.

Footnotes

(a)1:19 This James is James the Less, who stayed in Jerusalem, while the other Apostles went out to preach the Gospel to the world. He functioned as the spiritual leader of the city where Christ preached and died; he was the Bishop of Jerusalem. He was called the brother of the Lord because he was a cousin of Jesus, and also because he was similar in appearances to Jesus.(Conte)

Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ,(a) and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

and all the brothers(b) who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—

to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,

but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.

As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

Paul Preaches the Gospel

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.

But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it.

I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace,

to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.

Now about the things which I write to you, behold,(c) before God, I’m not lying.

Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”

So they glorified God in me.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:2 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(c)1:20 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.