Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus
Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the
brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the
present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to
whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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—not that there is another one, but there are some who
trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 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. 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.
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 of Christ.
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was
preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from
any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a
revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in
Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to
destroy it. 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. But when he who had set me apart before I was born,
and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to
me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not
immediately consult with anyone; 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.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and
remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other
apostles except James the Lord's brother. (In what I am writing to
you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of
Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the
churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it
said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he
once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.
