Galatians 1
Paul introduces himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ, not appointed by men, and greets the churches of Galatia, expressing his amazement that they have quickly turned away from the true gospel. He warns them that anyone, including himself or an angel, who preaches a different gospel should be condemned. Paul explains that his gospel is not from men, but from a revelation of Jesus Christ, and recounts his former life as a zealous persecutor of the church before his conversion. After his conversion, Paul did not seek the approval of the apostles in Jerusalem, but instead went to Arabia and later met with Peter and James in Jerusalem.
1Paul, an Apostle, not from men and not through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead2and all the brothers who are with me: to the churches of Galatia3Grace and peace to you from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ4who 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 Father5To him is glory forever and ever. Amen6I wonder that you have been so quickly transferred, from him who called you into the grace of Christ, over to another gospel7For there is no other, except that there are some persons who disturb you and who want to overturn the Gospel of Christ8But 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 anathema9Just 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 anathema10For 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 Christ11For I would have you understand, brothers, that the Gospel which has been preached by me is not according to man12And I did not receive it from man, nor did I learn it, except through the revelation of Jesus Christ13For you have heard of my former behavior within Judaism: that, beyond measure, I persecuted the Church of God and fought against Her14And 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 fathers15But, when it pleased him who, from my mother’s womb, had set me apart, and who has called me by his grace16to reveal his Son within me, so that I might evangelize him among the Gentiles, I did not next seek the consent of flesh and blood17Neither did I go to Jerusalem, to those who were Apostles before me. Instead, I went into Arabia, and next I returned to Damascus18And then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter; and I stayed with him for fifteen days19But I saw none of the other Apostles, except James, the brother of the Lord20Now what I am writing to you: behold, before God, I am not lying21Next, I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia22But I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ23For they had only heard that: "He, who formerly persecuted us, now evangelizes the faith which he once fought.24And they glorified God in me
Share this chapter