1 P aul, an apostle (not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),

This letter is from Paul. I am a missionary sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father Who raised Jesus from the dead. I am not sent by men or by any one man.

2 a nd all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

All the Christians join me in writing to you who are in the churches in the country of Galatia.

3 G race to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,

May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 w ho gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—

He gave Him-self to die for our sins. He did this so we could be saved from this sinful world. This is what God wanted Him to do.

5 t o whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

May He have all the honor forever. Let it be so. Men Must Not Change the Good News

6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”;

I am surprised you are leaving Christ so soon. You were chosen through His loving-favor. But now you are turning and listening to another kind of good news.

7 a nd there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

No! There is not another kind of good news. There are some who would like to lead you in the wrong way. They want to change the Good News about Christ.

8 B ut even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.

Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach another kind of good news to you that is not the one we preached, let him be cursed.

9 A s we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

As we said before, I will say it again. If any man is preaching another good news to you which is not the one you have received, let him be cursed. This Good News Is from God

10 F or am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.

Do you think I am trying to get the favor of men, or of God? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant owned by Christ.

11 B ut I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

Christian brothers, I want you to know the Good News I preached to you was not made by man.

12 F or neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

I did not receive it from man. No one taught it to me. I received it from Jesus Christ as He showed it to me.

13 F or you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it.

You have heard of my old life when I followed the Jewish religion. I made it as hard as I could for the Christians and did everything I could to destroy the Christian church.

14 I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

I had learned more about the Jewish religion than many of the Jews my age. I had a much stronger desire than they to follow the ways of our early fathers.

15 B ut when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace,

But God chose me before I was born. By His loving-favor He called me to work for Him.

16 t o reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

His Son was to be seen in me. He did this so I could preach about Christ to the people who are not Jews. When this happened, I did not talk to men.

17 n or did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.

I did not even go to Jerusalem to talk to those who were missionaries before me. Instead, I went to the country of Arabia. Later I returned to the city of Damascus.

18 T hen after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

Three years later I went to Jerusalem to meet Peter. I stayed with him fifteen days.

19 B ut of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother.

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

20 N ow about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.

I am writing the truth. God knows I am not lying.

21 T hen I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

I went from Jerusalem to the countries of Syria and Cilicia.

22 I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

None of the Christians in the churches in the country of Judea had ever seen me.

23 b ut they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”

The only thing they heard was, “The one who tried to destroy the Christian church is now preaching the Good News!”

24 A nd they glorified God in me.

And they gave thanks to God because of me.