1:1  PAUL, AN apostle--[special messenger appointed and commissioned and sent out] not from [any body of] men nor by {or} through any man, but by {and} through Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and God the Father, Who raised Him from among the dead--

1:2  And all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

1:3  Grace {and} spiritual blessing be to you and [soul] peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah),

1:4  Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue {and} deliver us from this present wicked age {and} world order, in accordance with the will {and} purpose {and} plan of our God and Father--

1:5  To Him [be ascribed all] the glory through all the ages of the ages {and} the eternities of the eternities! Amen (so be it).

1:6  I am surprised {and} astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade {and} deserting Him Who invited {and} called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel.

1:7  Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling {and} disturbing {and} bewildering you [with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want to pervert {and} distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not].

1:8  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to {and} different from that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!

1:9  As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from {or} contrary to that which you received [from us], let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!

1:10  Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah).

1:11  For I want you to know, brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed {and} made known by me is not man's gospel [a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standard].

1:12  For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through a [direct] revelation [given] by Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

1:13  You have heard of my earlier career {and} former manner of life in the Jewish religion (Judaism), how I persecuted {and} abused the church of God furiously {and} extensively, and [with fanatical zeal did my best] to make havoc of it {and} destroy it.

1:14  And [you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic {and} zealous I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

1:15  But when He, Who had chosen {and} set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit {and} was pleased

1:16  To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone].

1:17  Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles (special messengers of Christ) before I was, but I went away {and} retired into Arabia, and afterward I came back again to Damascus.

1:18  Then three years later, I did go up to Jerusalem to become [personally] acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and remained with him for fifteen days.

1:19  But I did not see any of the other apostles (the special messengers of Christ) except James the brother of our Lord.

1:20  Now [note carefully what I am telling you, for it is the truth], I write this as if I were standing before the bar of God; I do not lie.

1:21  Then I went into the districts (countries, regions) of Syria and Cilicia.

1:22  And so far I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea (the country surrounding Jerusalem).

1:23  They were only hearing it said, He who used to persecute us is now proclaiming the very faith he once reviled {and} which he set out to ruin {and} tried with all his might to destroy.

1:24  And they glorified God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place] in me.