Galatians 1
The full text of Galatians 1 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Greek. Free to read.
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from human beings, nor through any human, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—
2 and all the brothers and sisters with me, to the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel—
7 which is not really another gospel at all. The truth is, certain people are throwing you into confusion and trying to twist the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we ourselves, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you—let that person be cursed!
9 As we said before, so now I say again: if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one you received—let that person be cursed!
10 So then, am I now trying to win human approval, or God's? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.
12 I did not receive it from any human, nor was I taught it; I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 You have heard of my former way of life in Judaism—how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, far more zealous as I was for the traditions of my ancestors.
15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased
16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with any human being.
17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia and afterward returned to Damascus.
18 Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.
19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother.
20 In what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.
21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
23 They only kept hearing the report: "The man who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."
24 And they praised God because of me.
Translation notes (8)
- Galatians 1:2a The Greek word *adelphoi* means 'brothers,' but here it is used to include all believers, both men and women.
- Galatians 1:8a The Greek word *anathema* means 'handed over to God for destruction' or 'accursed.'
- Galatians 1:10a The Greek word *doulos* means 'slave' or 'bondservant.'
- Galatians 1:11a The Greek word *adelphoi* here includes all the believers, both men and women.
- Galatians 1:12a This can also be translated as 'a revelation from Jesus Christ.' The Greek phrase 'of Jesus Christ' can mean either the revelation that Christ gave (indicating Him as the source) or the unveiling of Christ himself (indicating Him as the content).
- Galatians 1:16a This can also be translated as 'to reveal his Son to me.' The Greek phrase *en emoi* can mean either 'in me' (referring to an inward experience) or 'to me.'
- Galatians 1:16b The Greek phrase 'flesh and blood' is an idiom that refers to mortal human beings.
- Galatians 1:18a Cephas is the Aramaic name for Peter; both names mean 'rock.'
About this translation
The Trinity Bible Version (TBV) is Trinity Bible's own modern English translation, worked directly from the original Greek and honest to the earliest manuscripts. It was completed in 2026 — the most modern English Bible translation — and is exclusive to Trinity Bible. Every chapter, including all of Galatians, is free to read here on the web.
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