1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),
1:2 and all the brothers 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, that he might deliver us out of this 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 marvel that you+ are so quickly turning away from him who called you+ in the grace of Christ to a different [message of] good news,
1:7 which is not another: only there are some who trouble you+, and would distort the good news of Christ.
1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you+ good news other than that which we preached to you+, let him be accursed.
1:9 As we have said before, so I say now again, If any man preaches to you+ good news other than that which you+ received, let him be accursed.
1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a slave of Christ.
1:11 For I make known to you+, brothers, as concerning the good news which was preached by me, that it is not after man.
1:12 For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through revelation of Jesus Christ.
1:13 For you+ have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it:
1:14 and I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
1:15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, [even] from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace,
1:16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach [the good news of] him among the Gentiles; right away I did not confer with flesh and blood:
1:17 neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.
1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days.
1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles, except James the Lord's brother.
1:20 Now concerning the things which I write to you+, look, before God, I don't lie.
1:21 Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
1:22 And I was still unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ:
1:23 but they only heard it said, He who once persecuted us now preaches [the good news of] the faith of which he once made havoc;
1:24 and they glorified God in me.