1:1  Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

1:2  and all the brothers with me,
To the churches in Galatia:

1:3  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

1:4  who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

1:5  to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1:6  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—

1:7  which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

1:8  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!

1:9  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!

1:10  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.

1:11  I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.

1:12  I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

1:13  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.

1:14  I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

1:15  But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased

1:16  to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,

1:17  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.

1:18  Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.

1:19  I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother.

1:20  I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

1:21  Later I went to Syria and Cilicia.

1:22  I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

1:23  They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."

1:24  And they praised God because of me.