Galatians 1

1Paul, an apostle—sent not from human beings or through a human being, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

2and all the brothers and sisters who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

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

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

5to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

7not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

8But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the one we proclaimed to you, let him be accursed.

9As we have said before, so now I say again: if anyone is proclaiming to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

10Am I now trying to win the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin.

12For I did not receive it from any human being, nor was I taught it; I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I violently persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, being far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

15But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased

16to reveal his Son in me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood.

17Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus.

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.

19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

20In what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.

21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

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

23They were only hearing it said, “The one who used to persecute us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy.”

24And they glorified God because of me.