1 This letter is from me, Paul. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ. It is not any group of people or any one person that has given that authority to me. It is Jesus Christ himself who has chosen me to serve him. And God our Father, who raised Jesus to become alive again after his death, has also sent me. 2 All the believers who are here say ‘hello’ to you. We all send this letter to you.
I am writing to you, the people of the churches that are in Galatia.
3 I pray that God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ will continue to help you. I pray that they will give you peace in your minds. 4 Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice because of all the wrong things that we have done. He did that to save us from all the bad things of this world in which we live now. This is what God, our Father, wanted him to do. 5 God is great and we should praise him for ever. Amen. This is true.
6 I am very surprised that you are turning away so soon from God. He is the one who chose you to come to him. He did that because Christ is very kind to you. But now you want to accept a different message which some people call good news. 7 But really, there is no other message from God which is good news. Some people are confusing you. They are trying to change the good news about Christ and make it something different. 8 Nobody should ever teach a message that is different from the good news that we taught you. Neither we ourselves, nor even an angel from heaven, should ever teach a different message. If anyone does that, I pray that God would curse him. 9 We have already said this, but now I will say it again. Do not accept any message that is different from the message that we taught you. If anyone teaches a different message, I pray that God will curse him very strongly.
10 When I say these things, I am not trying to please people. No, it is God that I want to please. If I only wanted to make people happy, then I would not be a servant of Christ.
11 The good news that I tell people did not come from any person on earth. I want you to know that, my friends. 12 Nobody on earth gave it to me. Nobody taught it to me. No, it was Jesus Christ himself who showed it to me clearly.
13 You know about the things that I did before, when I obeyed the Jewish rules. I caused very much trouble against God's church. I tried to destroy those people completely. 14 I obeyed the Jewish rules better than many other Jews who were my friends. I tried very much to obey the ideas that our Jewish ancestors taught. 15 But God had chosen me to serve him even before I was born. He chose me to be his servant because he is very kind. 16 He decided to show his Son clearly to me, so that I could tell the Gentiles about him. [ a ] When God chose me to do that, I did not talk about it with any person. 17 Nor did I go to Jerusalem to see Christ's apostles there. Those men were already his apostles before I was. But I did not go to talk to them. Instead, I went immediately to the region of Arabia. [ b ] Later, I went back to the city of Damascus.
18 Then, three years later, I did go to Jerusalem. I stayed there with Christ's apostle Peter for 15 days, so that he could teach me. 19 I did not see any other apostles, except James, who is the Lord's brother. 20 God knows that what I am writing to you is completely true! 21 Later, I went to different places in Syria and Cilicia. [ c ] 22 The Christians in the churches in Judea had never met me. [ d ] 23 They had only heard people say this about me: ‘This man caused bad trouble against us Christians before. He tried to destroy God's message about Jesus. But now he himself is telling people the good news about Jesus, so that they believe.’ 24 When the believers in Judea heard that, they praised God because of me.
1 Greetings from Paul, an apostle. I was chosen to be an apostle, but not by any group or person here on earth. My authority came from none other than Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Jesus from death. 2 Greetings also from all those in God’s family who are with me.
To the churches in Galatia [ a ] :
3 I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be good to you and give you peace. 4 Jesus gave himself for our sins to free us from this evil world we live in. This is what God our Father wanted. 5 The glory belongs to God forever and ever. Amen.
6 A short time ago God chose you to follow him. He chose you through his grace that came through Christ. But now I am amazed that you are already turning away and believing something different from the Good News we told you. 7 There is no other message that is the Good News, but some people are confusing you. They want to change the Good News about Christ. 8 We told you the true Good News message. So anyone who tells you a different message should be condemned—even if it’s one of us or even an angel from heaven! 9 I said this before. Now I say it again: You have already accepted the Good News. Anyone who tells you another way to be saved should be condemned!
10 Now do you think I am trying to make people accept me? No, God is the one I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the Good News message I told you was not made up by anyone. 12 I did not get my message from any other human. The Good News is not something I learned from other people. Jesus Christ himself gave it to me. He showed me the Good News that I should tell people.
13 You have heard about my past life in the Jewish religion. I persecuted the church of God very much. I tried to destroy his people. 14 I was becoming a leader in the Jewish religion. I did better than most other Jews my own age. I tried harder than anyone else to follow the traditions we got from our ancestors.
15 But God had special plans for me even before I was born. So he chose me through his grace. 16 It pleased him to let me see and know his Son so that I could tell the Good News about him to the non-Jewish people. I immediately prepared to do this work without asking for advice or help from anyone. 17 I did not go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. But, without waiting, I went away to Arabia. Later, I went back to the city of Damascus.
18 Three years later I went to Jerusalem to meet Peter. [ b ] I stayed with him 15 days. 19 I met no other apostles—only James, the brother of the Lord. 20 God knows there is nothing untrue in any of this. 21 Later, I went to the areas of Syria and Cilicia.
22 No one in any of Christ’s churches in Judea had ever met me before. 23 They had only heard this about me: “This man was persecuting us. But now he is telling people about the same faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24 These believers praised God because of me.
1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.
1 Paul, ( A ) an apostle ( ( B ) not sent from men nor through human agency, but ( C ) through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who ( D ) raised Him from the dead), 2 and all ( E ) the brothers who are with me,
To ( F ) the churches of Galatia:
3 ( G ) Grace to you and peace from [ a ] God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who ( H ) gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from ( I ) this present evil [ b ] age, according to the will of ( J ) our God and Father, 5 ( K ) to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting ( L ) Him who called you [ c ] by the grace of Christ, for a ( M ) different gospel, 7 which is not just another account ; but there are some who are ( N ) disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or ( O ) an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be [ d ] ( P ) accursed! 9 As we ( Q ) have said before, even now I say again: ( R ) if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be [ e ] ( S ) accursed!
10 For am I now ( T ) seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a ( U ) bond-servant of Christ.
11 For ( V ) I would have you know, brothers and sisters , that the gospel which was preached by me is ( W ) not [ f ] of human invention. 12 For ( X ) I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a ( Y ) revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of ( Z ) my former way of life in Judaism, how I ( AA ) used to persecute ( AB ) the church of God beyond measure and ( AC ) tried to destroy it; 14 and I ( AD ) was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my [ g ] countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ( AE ) ancestral traditions. 15 But when [ h ] He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and ( AF ) called me through His grace was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might ( AG ) preach Him among the Gentiles, ( AH ) I did not immediately consult with [ i ] ( AI ) flesh and blood, 17 ( AJ ) nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to ( AK ) Damascus.
18 Then ( AL ) three years later I went up ( AM ) to Jerusalem to [ j ] become acquainted with [ k ] ( AN ) Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I did not see another one of the apostles except [ l ] ( AO ) James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now in what I am writing to you, [ m ] I assure you ( AP ) before God that I am not lying.) 21 Then ( AQ ) I went into the regions of ( AR ) Syria and ( AS ) Cilicia. 22 I was still unknown by [ n ] sight to ( AT ) the churches of Judea which are ( AU ) in Christ; 23 but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching ( AV ) the faith which he once ( AW ) tried to destroy.” 24 And they ( AX ) were glorifying God [ o ] because of me.
1 Paul, an apostle ( A ) —sent not from men nor by a man, ( B ) but by Jesus Christ ( C ) and God the Father, ( D ) who raised him from the dead ( E ) — 2 and all the brothers and sisters [ a ] with me, ( F )
To the churches in Galatia: ( G )
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ( H ) 4 who gave himself for our sins ( I ) to rescue us from the present evil age, ( J ) according to the will of our God and Father, ( K ) 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ( L )
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called ( M ) you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel ( N ) — 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion ( O ) and are trying to pervert ( P ) the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, ( Q ) let them be under God’s curse! ( R ) 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, ( S ) let them be under God’s curse!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? ( T ) If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, ( U ) that the gospel I preached ( V ) is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, ( W ) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation ( X ) from Jesus Christ. ( Y )
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, ( Z ) how intensely I persecuted the church of God ( AA ) and tried to destroy it. ( AB ) 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous ( AC ) for the traditions of my fathers. ( AD ) 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb ( AE ) and called me ( AF ) by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, ( AG ) my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ( AH ) 17 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. ( AI )
18 Then after three years, ( AJ ) I went up to Jerusalem ( AK ) to get acquainted with Cephas [ b ] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, ( AL ) the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God ( AM ) that what I am writing you is no lie. ( AN )
21 Then I went to Syria ( AO ) and Cilicia. ( AP ) 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea ( AQ ) that are in Christ. ( AR ) 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith ( AS ) he once tried to destroy.” ( AT ) 24 And they praised God ( AU ) because of me.
