1 From Paul, whose call to be an apostle did not come from human beings or by human means, but from Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from death. 2 All the believers who are here join me in sending greetings to the churches of Galatia:
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
4 In order to set us free from this present evil age, Christ gave himself for our sins, in obedience to the will of our God and Father. 5 To God be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
The One Gospel
6 I am surprised at you! In no time at all you are deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ, and are accepting another gospel. 7 Actually, there is no “other gospel,” but I say this because there are some people who are upsetting you and trying to change the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel that is different from the one we preached to you, may he be condemned to hell! 9 We have said it before, and now I say it again: if anyone preaches to you a gospel that is different from the one you accepted, may he be condemned to hell!
10 Does this sound as if I am trying to win human approval? No indeed! What I want is God's approval! Am I trying to be popular with people? If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ.
How Paul Became an Apostle
11 Let me tell you, my friends, that the gospel I preach is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any human being, nor did anyone teach it to me. It was Jesus Christ himself who revealed it to me.
13 You have been told how I used to live when I was devoted to the Jewish religion, how I persecuted without mercy the church of God and did my best to destroy it. 14 I was ahead of most other Jews of my age in my practice of the Jewish religion, and was much more devoted to the traditions of our ancestors.
15 But God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him. And when he decided 16 to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the Gentiles, I did not go to anyone for advice, 17 nor did I go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus. 18 It was three years later that I went to Jerusalem to obtain information from Peter, and I stayed with him for two weeks. 19 I did not see any other apostle except James, the Lord's brother.
20 What I write is true. God knows that I am not lying!
21 Afterward I went to places in Syria and Cilicia. 22 At that time the members of the churches in Judea did not know me personally. 23 They knew only what others were saying: “The man who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith that he once tried to destroy!” 24 And so they praised God because of me.
1 Pāvils, apustulis, ne cilvēku sūtīts, nedz kāda cilvēka, bet Jēzus Kristus iecelts un Dieva Tēva, kas Viņu uzmodinājis no miroņiem, 2 un visi brāļi, kas pie manis ir, Galatijas draudzēm: 3 žēlastība jums un miers no Dieva, mūsu Tēva, un Kunga Jēzus Kristus, 4 kas pats Sevi ir nodevis par mūsu grēkiem, lai mūs izglābtu no šīs tagadējās ļaunās pasaules pēc Dieva, mūsu Tēva, prāta; 5 Viņam lai ir gods mūžu mūžos! Āmen! 6 Es brīnos, ka jūs tik drīz novēršaties no tā, kas jūs aicinājis Kristus žēlastībā, un piegriežaties citam evaņģēlijam. 7 Un tomēr cita nav. Ir tikai kādi, kas jūs sajauc un grib pārgrozīt Kristus evaņģēliju. 8 Bet, ja arī mēs vai kāds eņģelis no debesīm jums sludinātu citu evaņģēliju nekā to, ko esam jums pasludinājuši, lāsts pār to! 9 Kā jums jau agrāk esam sacījuši, tā arī tagad vēlreiz saku: ja kāds jums sludina citu evaņģēliju nekā to, ko jūs esat saņēmuši, lāsts pār to! 10 Jo vai tad es tagad runāju cilvēkiem pa prātam vai Dievam? Jeb vai es cenšos cilvēkiem patikt? Ja es vēl cilvēkiem censtos patikt, tad es nebūtu Kristus kalps. 11 Jo es jums apliecinu, brāļi: tas evaņģēlijs, kuru es jums esmu pasludinājis, nav cilvēku izdomāts. 12 Es to arī neesmu saņēmis no kāda cilvēka, nedz kāds man to ir mācījis, bet Jēzus Kristus man to ir atklājis. 13 Jo jūs esat dzirdējuši par manu kādreizējo dzīvi jūdu ticībā, kā es pārlieku vajāju Dieva draudzi un to postīju 14 un ka es pārspēju jūdu ticībā daudzus savus biedrus savā tautā, būdams vēl dedzīgāks tēvu paražu aizstāvis. 15 Bet, kad Dievam, kas mani no mātes miesām izredzējis un Savā žēlastībā aicinājis, labpatika 16 Savu Dēlu manī atklāt, lai es prieka vēsti par Viņu nestu pagāniem, tad es tūdaļ negriezos pēc padoma pie miesas un asinīm, 17 nedz nogāju uz Jeruzālemi pie tiem, kas priekš manis bija apustuļi, bet aizgāju uz Arābiju un atkal atgriezos atpakaļ Damaskā. 18 Tad, trīs gadus vēlāk, es nogāju uz Jeruzālemi iepazīties ar Kēfu (Pēteri) un paliku pie viņa piecpadsmit dienas. 19 Kādu citu apustuli es netiku redzējis, bet tikai Jēkabu, Tā Kunga brāli. 20 Bet, ko es jums rakstu, redzi, Dievs ir mans liecinieks, tie nav meli. 21 Pēc tam es nonācu Sīrijas un Kilikijas apgabalos. 22 Bet Jūdejas draudzes, kas ir Kristū, mani vaigā nepazina. 23 Tikai to viņas dzirdēja: tas, kas mūs citkārt vajāja, sludina tagad to ticību, ko viņš senāk centās iznīcināt. 24 Un tie slavēja manis dēļ Dievu.
