Galatians 1

English Standard Version

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— (Ac 2:24; Ac 9:6; Ac 20:24; Ac 22:10; Ac 22:15; Ac 22:21; Ac 26:16; 2Co 1:1; Ga 1:11; 1Ti 1:1; Tit 1:3)2 and all the brothers[1] who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: (Ac 16:6; 1Co 16:1; Php 4:21)3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, (Ro 1:7; 1Co 1:3; 1Ti 1:2)4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, (Mt 20:28; Joh 15:19; Ro 4:25; 1Co 15:3; Eph 2:2; Php 4:20; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 3:11; 1Th 3:13; 1Jo 5:19)5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— (Ac 16:6; Ac 18:23; 2Co 11:4; Ga 4:13; Ga 5:8; 1Ti 1:3)7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Ac 4:12; Ac 15:24; 1Co 3:11; 2Co 11:13; Ga 5:10)8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Ro 9:3; 2Co 11:14)9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Ga 1:8)10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant[2] of Christ. (Ro 1:1; Ro 2:29; 1Co 10:33; Eph 6:6; Col 3:22; 1Th 2:4)11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.[3] (Ro 2:16; 1Co 15:1)12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Ac 22:14; 1Co 2:10; 1Co 11:23; 1Co 15:3; 2Co 12:1; Ga 1:1; Ga 1:16)13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. (Ac 8:3; Ac 26:4)14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. (Jer 9:14; Mt 15:2; Ac 21:20; Php 3:6; 2Ti 1:3)15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,[4] and who called me by his grace, (Isa 49:1; Isa 49:5; Jer 1:5; Lu 1:15; Ac 13:2; Ro 1:1; Ga 1:6)16 was pleased to reveal his Son to[5] me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;[6] (Ac 9:15; Ga 2:9)17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. (Ac 9:22)19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (Mt 12:46; Ac 12:17)20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) (Ro 1:9; Ro 9:1)21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. (Ac 9:30; Ac 11:25; Ac 13:1)22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. (1Th 2:14)23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”24 And they glorified God because of me.