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Galatians 1
Expanded Bible
Galatians 1
Expanded Bible
1 From Paul, an ·apostle [messenger]. ·I was not chosen to be an apostle by human beings, nor was I sent from human beings [L …not from men/humans or by a man/human authority]. ·I was made an apostle [L …but] through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead. 2 This letter is also from all ·those of God’s family [L the brothers (and sisters)] who are with me.
To the churches in Galatia [C a Roman province in present-day central Turkey; Paul started churches in Galatia on his first missionary journey (Acts 13—14)]:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to ·free [rescue; deliver] us from this ·evil world we live in [present evil age], as God the Father ·planned [willed; desired]. 5 ·The glory belongs to God [L …to whom be glory] forever and ever. Amen.
The Only Good News
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly ·turning away from [deserting; forsaking] ·God [L the one] who called you by ·his grace given through Christ [L the grace of Christ], and are believing ·something different than the Good News [L a different Gospel]. 7 ·Really, there is no other Good News [L …which is not another]. But some people are ·confusing [troubling; disturbing] you; they want to ·change [distort] the ·Good News [Gospel] of Christ. 8 But even if we ourselves or an angel from heaven were to preach to you a different message than the Good News we preached, ·we should be [L let him be] ·judged guilty [condemned; accursed; L anathema]! 9 I said this before, and now I say it again: If anyone is preaching a different message than the one you received, ·that person should be [L let him be] ·judged guilty [condemned; accursed; L anathema]!
10 Do you think I am now trying to ·make people accept me [seek human favor/acceptance]? ·No, God is the One I am trying to please [L …or (the favor of) God?]. Am I trying to please people? If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a ·servant [slave; bondservant] of Christ.
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.
Galatians 1
New International Version
Galatians 1
New International Version
1 Paul, an apostle(A)—sent not from men nor by a man,(B) but by Jesus Christ(C) and God the Father,(D) who raised him from the dead(E)— 2 and all the brothers and sisters[a] with me,(F)
To the churches in Galatia:(G)
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,(H) 4 who gave himself for our sins(I) to rescue us from the present evil age,(J) according to the will of our God and Father,(K) 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(L)
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called(M) you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel(N)— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion(O) and are trying to pervert(P) the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,(Q) let them be under God’s curse!(R) 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,(S) let them be under God’s curse!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?(T) If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul Called by God
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters,(U) that the gospel I preached(V) is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man,(W) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation(X) from Jesus Christ.(Y)
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,(Z) how intensely I persecuted the church of God(AA) and tried to destroy it.(AB) 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous(AC) for the traditions of my fathers.(AD) 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb(AE) and called me(AF) by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,(AG) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.(AH) 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.(AI)
18 Then after three years,(AJ) I went up to Jerusalem(AK) to get acquainted with Cephas[b] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James,(AL) the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God(AM) that what I am writing you is no lie.(AN)
21 Then I went to Syria(AO) and Cilicia.(AP) 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea(AQ) that are in Christ.(AR) 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith(AS) he once tried to destroy.”(AT) 24 And they praised God(AU) because of me.
Footnotes
- Galatians 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1, 18.
- Galatians 1:18 That is, Peter
Expanded Bible (EXB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.