|
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.
|