1 1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men, nor through any man, but through Jesus Christ and our Father, who raised him from the dead 2 —and all the brothers and sisters who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace and peace to you from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel 7 —not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be cursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: if anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be cursed.
10 Am I now seeking the approval of people, or of our Father? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
The Father Called Paul Directly
11 For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of our Father and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own generation among my people, and I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when our Father, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased a a v15 Before Paul did any good — or any harm — our Father had already set him apart. 16 to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately turn to any human being for advice, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; instead, I went away into Arabia, and afterward returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. 20 In what I am writing to you, I assure you before our Father, I am not lying. 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was still personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only kept hearing it said, "The man who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they glorified our Father because of me.