1 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 All the Christians join me in writing to you who are in the churches in the country of Galatia. 3 May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 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 May He have all the honor forever. Let it be so.
Men Must Not Change the Good News
6 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 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 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 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 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 Christian brothers, I want you to know the Good News I preached to you was not made by man. 12 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 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 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 But God chose me before I was born. By His loving-favor He called me to work for Him. 16 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 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 Three years later I went to Jerusalem to meet Peter. I stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I did not see any of the other missionaries except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I am writing the truth. God knows I am not lying.
21 I went from Jerusalem to the countries of Syria and Cilicia. 22 None of the Christians in the churches in the country of Judea had ever seen me. 23 The only thing they heard was, “The one who tried to destroy the Christian church is now preaching the Good News!” 24 And they gave thanks to God because of me.
