< Galatians 1 >
1 Paul, an apostle (not from humans, nor through humans, but through Jesus (the) Messiah, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),
2 and all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus (the) Messiah,
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 )
5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (aiōn )
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of Messiah to a different gospel;
7 and there is not another gospel. Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the gospel of Messiah.
8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.
9 As we have said before, so I now say again: if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than that which you received, let him be cursed.
10 For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? For if I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Messiah.
11 But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not of human origin.
12 For neither did I receive it from a human, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus (the) Messiah.
13 For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I severely persecuted the church of God, and tried to destroy it.
14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when God, who had set me apart from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, was pleased
16 to reveal his Son to me, that I might preach him among those who are not Jewish, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
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.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas and get information from him, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord's brother.
20 Now about the things which I write to you, look, before God, I'm not lying.
21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 I was still unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Messiah,
23 but they only heard: "He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy."
24 And they glorified God because of me.
