Galatians

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

1This letter is from Paul. He is an apostle, someone Jesus sent out to carry his message. No person gave him that job. Jesus Christ gave it to him, and so did God the Father. God the Father raised Jesus back to life.

2And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

2All the believers who are here with me send this letter too. We are writing to the churches in Galatia.

3Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

3May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be kind to you. May they give you peace.

4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

4Jesus gave himself up to die for the wrong things we did. He did this to rescue us from this evil time we live in. That is what God our Father wanted.

5To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

5May God be honored forever and ever. Amen. That word means "yes, this is true."

6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

6I am surprised at you. God called you because Christ is kind. But you are leaving him so soon. You are following a different message about Jesus.

7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

7That message is not good news at all. Some people are mixing you up. They want to twist the true message about Christ.

8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

8We already told you the true good news. Suppose someone brings you a different message. It could even be us, or an angel from heaven. That person should be under God's curse.

Note"Accursed" in the old wording means to be under a curse.

9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

9I said this before, and I say it again now. Anyone who brings you a message different from the one you received should be under God's curse.

10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

10Am I trying to win people's approval, or God's? Am I working to make people like me? If I were still doing that, I would not be Christ's servant.

11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

11My friends, I want you to be sure of this. The good news I preached is not something a person made up.

12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

12No person handed it to me. No person taught it to me. Jesus Christ himself showed it to me.

13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

13You have heard how I lived before, back when I followed the Jewish religion. I hurt God's church again and again. I tried hard to wreck it.

NoteIn 1611, "conversation" meant the whole way a person lived, not just talking. "Wasted it" means he tried to destroy the church.

14And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

14In that religion I got ahead of many people my own age. I cared more than they did about the old customs my ancestors passed down.

15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,

15But God had set me apart even before I was born. He called me because he is kind. When it pleased him, he acted.

16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

16He showed me who his Son is, so that I could tell others about him. I was sent to people who are not Jewish. I did not run to any person for advice.

NoteThe old word "heathen" here means people who are not Jewish.

17Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

17I did not go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me. Instead I went to Arabia. Later I came back to Damascus.

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

18Three years later I went up to Jerusalem to talk with Peter. I stayed with him for fifteen days.

19But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

19I did not see any of the other apostles. The only other one I saw was James, the Lord's brother.

20Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

20God knows that what I am writing to you is true. I am not lying.

21Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

21After that I went to the areas called Syria and Cilicia.

22And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

22The churches in Judea that belong to Christ had never met me. They did not know my face.

23But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

23They only heard people say, "The man who used to hurt us now tells people the faith. He once tried to wipe it out."

24And they glorified God in me.

24And they praised God because of me.