Galatians 1

Greeting

1 This is Paul talking. I am an apostle, not because some people or group made me one, but because God the Father and Jesus, who came back to life, called me.

2 I am here with all the brothers and sisters with me, sending our love to the churches in Galatia.

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

4 the one who sacrificed Himself for our sins to save us from this messed-up world, just like God planned.

5 To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

6 I am shocked at how quick you all are ditching the One who called you by His grace, turning to some different kind of message.

7 But listen, there is no other gospel. Some people are just out here confusing you all, trying to twist the truth about Christ.

8 If anyone, even if it is us or an angel from heaven, comes and preaches anything different than what we told you, let them be cursed.

9 I will say it again: If anyone brings you a gospel that is different from what you accepted, let them be cursed.

10 Am I here trying to please people or God? If I were just about making people happy, I would not be Christ’s servant.

Paul’s Calling and Authority

11 Let me make this clear: the gospel I preached to you all did not come from human ideas.

12 I did not get it from any person, and nobody taught it to me. Jesus Christ Himself revealed it to me.

13 You all know how I was back then, in my old life. I was going hard against the church, trying to destroy it.

14 I was all in on the Jewish religion, way ahead of people my age. I was so committed to my ancestors’ traditions.

15 But God had other plans. Before I was born, He had chosen me and called me by His grace.

16 When He decided to show me His Son so I could preach to the non-Jews, I did not go run and ask anybody what they thought.

17 I did not even go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. I went to Arabia, then came back to Damascus.

18 Three years later, I went up to Jerusalem to meet Peter and stayed with him for fifteen days.

19 I did not see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

20 I swear to you before God, I am not lying about this.

21 After that, I went to Syria and Cilicia.

22 The churches in Judea did not even know me by face back then.

23 They just heard, “The dude who used to try to destroy us is now preaching the same faith he was trying to wipe out.”

24 And they praised God because of me.