GalatiansChapter 1 |
1 PAUL, an Apostle, not sent by men, nor appointed by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead; |
2 And all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: |
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our LORD Jesus Christ, |
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God our Father: |
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
6 I am surprised how soon you have turned to another gospel, away from Christ who has called you by his grace; |
7 A gospel which does not exist; howbeit, there are men who have stirred you up, and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. |
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. |
9 As I have said before, so say I now again, If any man preaches any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. |
10 Do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I tried to please men, I should not be a servant of Christ. |
11 But I want you to know, my brethren, the gospel that I preached was not from men. |
12 For I did not receive it nor learn it from man, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ. |
13 You have heard of the manner of my life in time past in the Jews' religion, how beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and tried to destroy it: |
14 And how that I was far more advanced in the Jews' religion than many of my age among the people of my race for above all, I was especially zealous for the doctrines of my forefathers. |
15 But when it pleased God, who had chosen me from my birth, and called me by his grace, |
16 To reveal his Son to me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately disclose it to any human being: |
17 Neither did I go up to Jerusalem to them who had been apostles before me; but instead I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. |
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. |
19 But I did not see any one of the other apostles, except James the brother of our LORD. |
20 Now the things which I write to you, behold, I confess before God, I do not lie. |
21 After that I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia; |
22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Christ in Judµa. |
23 For they had heard only this much; that he who had persecuted us before now preached the faith which previously he tried to destroy. |
24 And they praised God because of me. |