Introduction

1Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through human agency, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), 2and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3Grace to you and peace from [a]God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil [b]age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Distortion of the Gospel

6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you [c]by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, 7which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be [d]accursed! 9As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be [e]accursed!

10For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

11For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is not [f]of human invention. 12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my [g]countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15But when [h]He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased 16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with [i]flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

18Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to [j]become acquainted with [k]Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19But I did not see another one of the apostles except [l]James, the Lord’s brother. 20(Now in what I am writing to you, [m]I assure you before God that I am not lying.) 21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22I was still unknown by [n]sight to the churches of Judea which are in Christ; 23but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24And they were glorifying God [o]because of me.