Galatians 1 - Amplified Bible(AMP)

Introduction

1Paul, an apostle (not commissioned and sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ—the Messiah—and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

2and all the brothers 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 so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father—

5to Him be the glory through the ages of the ages. Amen.

Perversion of the Gospel

6I am astonished and extremely irritated that you are so quickly shifting your allegiance and deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;

7which is really not another; but there are some who are disturbing and confusing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be condemned to destruction!

9As we have said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from that which you received, let him be condemned to destruction!

10Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

11For I want you to know, believers, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel.

12For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13You have heard of my career and former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to hunt down and persecute the church of God extensively and tried to destroy it.

14And I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors.

15But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased

16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.

17Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus.

18Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days.

19But I did not see any other apostle except James, the brother of the Lord.

20(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you as if I were standing before God that I am not lying.)

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

22And I was still unknown by sight to the churches which were in Christ in Judea (Jerusalem and the surrounding region);

23they only kept hearing, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith which he once was trying to destroy.”

24And they were glorifying God in me.