Galatians 1
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—
This letter comes from Paul, an apostle not appointed by any human organization or human authority. Quite the contrary: I was appointed by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead.
2 and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:
All the brothers and sisters here with me join in sending this letter to the churches in Galatia.
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
May the grace and peace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
4 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— (aiōn g165)
Jesus gave himself for our sins to set us free from this current world of evil, following the will of our God and Father. (aiōn g165)
To him be glory forever and ever! Amen. (aiōn g165)
6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,
I'm shocked at how quickly you're abandoning the God who by the grace of Christ called you. You are turning to a different kind of good news
7 but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
that isn't good news at all! Some people there are confusing you, wanting to pervert the good news of Christ.
8 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.
But if anyone, even we ourselves, or even an angel from heaven, should promote any other kind of good news than what we have already told you, let them be condemned!
9 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.
I repeat what we've told you before: if anyone promotes any other kind of good news than what you've already accepted, let them be condemned!
10 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.
Whose approval do you think I want—that of people, or of God? Do you think I'm trying to please people? If I wanted to please people I wouldn't be a servant of Christ!
11 But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.
Let me make it clear, my friends, regarding the good news I'm declaring—it did not come from any human being.
12 For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
I didn't receive it from anyone, and nobody taught it to me—it was Jesus Christ who revealed it to me.
13 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.
You heard how I behaved as a follower of the Jewish religion—how I fanatically persecuted God's church, savagely trying to destroy it.
14 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.
I surpassed my contemporaries in the practice of the Jewish religion because I was so fervently devoted to the traditions of my ancestors.
15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace,
But when God (who had set me apart from birth) called me through his grace, and was pleased
16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,
to reveal his Son to me so that I could announce the good news to the nations, I didn't discuss this with anyone.
17 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.
I didn't go to Jerusalem to talk to those who preceded me as apostles; instead I left for Arabia, and then later returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
After three years I went to Jerusalem to visit Peter. I stayed with him for two weeks.
19 But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.
I didn't see any other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.
20 Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.
(Let me assure you before God that I'm not lying about what I'm writing to you!)
21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.
22 I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,
Even so, my face wasn't known to those in the churches of Judea.
23 but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”
They had only heard people say, “The man who used to persecute us is now spreading the faith he once tried to destroy!”
24 So they glorified God in me.
—and they praised God because of me.
