Galatians 1

New International Version

• 1. Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead--
• 2. and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia:
• 3. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
• 4. who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
• 5. to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
• 6. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--
• 7. which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert 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, let him be eternally condemned!
• 9. As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
• 10. Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
• 11. I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.
• 12. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
• 13. For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
• 14. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
• 15. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased
• 16. to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,
• 17. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
• 18. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.
• 19. I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother.
• 20. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
• 21. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia.
• 22. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
• 23. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."
• 24. And they praised God because of me.

New International Version