Galatians 1:1-12

New International Reader's Version

1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle. People have not sent me. No human authority has sent me. I have been sent by Jesus Christ and by God the Father. God raised Jesus from the dead. ² All the brothers and sisters who are with me join me in writing.

We are sending this letter to you, the members of the churches in Galatia.

³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. ⁴ Jesus gave his life for our sins. He set us free from this evil world. That was what our God and Father wanted. ⁵ Give glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.

There Is No Other Good News

⁶ I am amazed. You are so quickly deserting the one who chose you. He chose you to live in the grace that Christ has provided. You are turning to a different “good news.” ⁷ What you are accepting is really not the good news at all. It seems that some people have gotten you all mixed up. They are trying to twist the good news about Christ. ⁸ But suppose even we should preach a different “good news.” Suppose even an angel from heaven should preach it. Suppose it is different from the good news we gave you. Then let anyone who does that be cursed by God. ⁹ I have already said it. Now I will say it again. Suppose someone preaches a “good news” that is different from what you accepted. That person should be cursed by God.

¹⁰ Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ.

Paul Was Appointed by God

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. The good news I preached does not come from human beings. ¹² No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. Instead, I received it from Jesus Christ. He showed it to me.