Paul's Epistle to the Galatians

1:1-24

1:1 Paul an apostle
sent neither by human commission
nor from human authorities,
but through Jesus Christ and God the Father,
who raised him from the dead

1:2 and all the members of God's family who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 1:4 who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 1:5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 1:7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! 1:9 As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed! 1:10 Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1:11 For I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin;
1:12 for I did not receive it from a human source,
nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

1:13 You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism.
I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it.
1:14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age,
for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

1:15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born
and called me through his grace, was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles,

I did not confer with any human being,
1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were already apostles before me,
but I went away at once into Arabia,
and afterwards I returned to Damascus.
1:18 Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem
to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days;
1:19 but I did not see any other apostle
except James the Lord's brother.

1:20 In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!

1:21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia,
1:22 and I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ;
1:23 they only heard it said, "The one who formerly was persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy."
1:24 And they glorified God because of me.