Galatians 1:11-24
Expanded Bible
Paul’s Authority Is from God
11 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the ·Good News [Gospel] I preached to you was not ·made up by human beings [devised by man; of human origin]. 12 I did not get it from ·humans [a human source; man], nor did anyone teach it to me, but ·Jesus Christ showed it to me [L by a revelation of/from/about Jesus Christ; Acts 9].
13 [L For] You have heard about my past life in the Jewish religion. I ·attacked [intensely/severely persecuted] the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was ·becoming a leader in the Jewish religion [L advancing/progressing in Judaism], doing better than most other Jews of my age. I ·tried harder than anyone else [was exceedingly zealous] to follow the ·teachings handed down by our [traditions of my] ·ancestors [forefathers].
15 But God ·set me apart [or chose/appointed me] for his work ·even before I was born [L from my mother’s womb]. He called me through his grace 16 and ·showed [revealed] his son to me so that I might ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel] about him to the Gentiles [Acts 9:15; 22:21]. When God called me, I did not ·get advice or help from [confer/consult with] ·any person [L flesh and blood]. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. ·But [Instead; Rather] I went away to Arabia [C probably the Nabatean kingdom south of Damascus] and later went back to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to ·meet [get to know; or confer with; gain information from] ·Peter [L Cephas, Peter’s name in Aramaic; John 1:42] and stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 I ·met [or saw] no other apostles, except James [Acts 12:17; 15:13–21; 21:18; James 1:1], the brother of the Lord. 20 ·God knows that [or I swear before God that; L Before God,] these things I write are not lies. 21 Later, I went to the areas of Syria [C a Roman province north of Israel] and Cilicia [C a Roman province in present-day southeastern Turkey; Paul’s hometown Tarsus was in Cilicia].
22 In Judea the churches in Christ had never met me. 23 They had only heard it said, “This man who was ·attacking [persecuting] us is now preaching the same faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24 And these believers ·praised [glorified] God because of me.
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Galatians 1:11-24
Amplified Bible
Paul Defends His Ministry
11 For I want you to know, [a]believers, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel [it is not a human invention, patterned after any human concept]. 12 For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a [direct] revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 You 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 [with fanatical zeal] tried [my best] to destroy it. 14 And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased(A) 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with [b]anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me]. 17 Nor did I [even] 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.
18 Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But I did not see any other apostle except James, the [half] 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.) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown by sight to the churches which were in Christ in Judea (Jerusalem and the surrounding region); 23 they only kept hearing, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the [good news of the] faith which he once was trying to destroy.” 24 And they were glorifying God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place and all that had been accomplished] in me.
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- Galatians 1:11 Lit brethren.
- Galatians 1:16 Lit flesh and blood.
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