Paul Called by God

11 For (A)I would have you know, brothers, that (B)the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.[a] 12 (C)For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it (D)through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of (E)my former life in Judaism, how (F)I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely (G)zealous was I for (H)the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he (I)who had set me apart (J)before I was born,[b] and who (K)called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to[c] me, in order (L)that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;[d] 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then (M)after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James (N)the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, (O)before God, I do not lie!) 21 (P)Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to (Q)the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 1:11 Greek not according to man
  2. Galatians 1:15 Greek set me apart from my mother's womb
  3. Galatians 1:16 Greek in
  4. Galatians 1:16 Greek with flesh and blood

11 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the gospel I preached isn’t human in origin. 12 I didn’t receive it or learn it from a human. It came through a revelation from Jesus Christ.

13 You heard about my previous life in Judaism, how severely I harassed God’s church and tried to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my peers, because I was much more militant about the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But God had set me apart from birth and called me through his grace. He was pleased 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach about him to the Gentiles. I didn’t immediately consult with any human being. 17 I didn’t go up to Jerusalem to see the men who were apostles before me either, but I went away into Arabia and I returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But I didn’t see any other of the apostles except James the brother of the Lord. 20 Before God, I’m not lying about the things that I’m writing to you! 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, 22 but I wasn’t known personally by the Christian churches in Judea. 23 They only heard a report about me: “The man who used to harass us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24 So they were glorifying God because of me.

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