Galatians 1

Paul, an apostle^a—sent not with a human commission nor by human authority,^b but by Jesus Christ^c and God the Father,^d who raised him from the dead^e— and all the brothers and sisters with me,^f

To the churches in Galatia:^g

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,^h who gave himself for our sinsⁱ to rescue us from the present evil age,^j according to the will of our God and Father,^k to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^l

No Other Gospel

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called^a you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel^b— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion^c and are trying to pervert^d the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,^e let that person be under God’s curse!^f As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,^g let that person be under God’s curse!

Am I now trying to win human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people?^h If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^a that the gospel I preached^b is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any human source,^c nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation^d from Jesus Christ.^e

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,^f how intensely I persecuted the church of God^g and tried to destroy it.^h I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealousⁱ for the traditions of my fathers.^j But when God, who set me apart from birth^k and called me^l by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,^m my immediate response was not to consult any human being.ⁿ I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.^o

Then after three years,^p I went up to Jerusalem^q to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James,^r the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God^s that what I am writing you is no lie.^t

Then I went to Syria^u and Cilicia.^v I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea^w that are in Christ.^x They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith^y he once tried to destroy.”^z And they praised God^a because of me.