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Galatians 1

Paul drops the usual thanksgiving and goes straight at the Galatians: he marvels they are so quickly deserting the one who called them, chasing a different "good news" that is no good news at all. Twice he pronounces a curse on anyone — even an angel — who preaches another message. Watch how the rest of the chapter becomes autobiography with a purpose. Paul retraces his persecuting past, his calling, and his movements (Arabia, Damascus, a fifteen-day visit to Peter) to prove his gospel came by revelation, not from any human authority.

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Galatians 1 (WEB)

1
Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—
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and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:
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Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
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who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—
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to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,
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but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
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But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.
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As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.
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For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.
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But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.
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For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
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For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it.
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I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
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But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace,
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to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,
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nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.
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Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
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But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.
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Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.
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Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
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I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,
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but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”
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So they glorified God in me.

Gálatas 1 (RV1909)

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PABLO, apóstol, (no de los hombres, ni por hombre, mas por Jesucristo y por Dios el Padre, que lo resucitó de los muertos),
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Y todos los hermanos que están conmigo, á las iglesias de Galacia:
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Gracia sea á vosotros, y paz de Dios el Padre, y de nuestro Señor Jesucristo,
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El cual se dió á sí mismo por nuestros pecados para librarnos de este presente siglo malo, conforme á la voluntad de Dios y Padre nuestro;
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Al cual sea la gloria por siglos de siglos. Amén.
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Estoy maravillado de que tan pronto os hayáis traspasado del que os llamó á la gracia de Cristo, á otro evangelio:
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No que hay otro, sino que hay algunos que os inquietan, y quieren pervertir el evangelio de Cristo.
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Mas aun si nosotros ó un ángel del cielo os anunciare otro evangelio del que os hemos anunciado, sea anatema.
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Como antes hemos dicho, también ahora decimos otra vez: Si alguno os anunciare otro evangelio del que habéis recibido, sea anatema.
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Porque, ¿persuado yo ahora á hombres ó á Dios? ¿ó busco de agradar á hombres? Cierto, que si todavía agradara á los hombres, no sería siervo de Cristo.
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Mas os hago saber, hermanos, que el evangelio que ha sido anunciado por mí, no es según hombre;
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Pues ni yo lo recibí, ni lo aprendí de hombre, sino por revelación de Jesucristo.
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Porque ya habéis oído acerca de mi conducta otro tiempo en el Judaismo, que perseguía sobremanera la iglesia de Dios, y la destruía;
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Y aprovechaba en el Judaismo sobre muchos de mis iguales en mi nación, siendo muy más celador que todos de las tradiciones de mis padres.
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Mas cuando plugo á Dios, que me apartó desde el vientre de mi madre, y me llamó por su gracia,
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Revelar á su Hijo en mí, para que le predicase entre los Gentiles, luego no conferí con carne y sangre;
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Ni fuí á Jerusalem á los que eran apóstoles antes que yo; sino que me fuí á la Arabia, y volví de nuevo á Damasco.
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Después, pasados tres años, fuí á Jerusalem á ver á Pedro, y estuve con él quince días.
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Mas á ningún otro de los apóstoles vi, sino á Jacobo el hermano del Señor.
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Y en esto que os escribo, he aquí, delante de Dios, no miento.
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Después fuí á las partes de Siria y de Cilicia;
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Y no era conocido de vista á las iglesias de Judea, que eran en Cristo;
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Solamente habían oído decir: Aquel que en otro tiempo nos perseguía, ahora anuncia la fe que en otro tiempo destruía.
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Y glorificaban á Dios en mí.

Why the travel itinerary matters

The dates and destinations in verses 17-21 are not filler. By insisting he did not "immediately confer with flesh and blood" and saw only Peter and James the Lord's brother in three years, Paul argues that no human chain of teaching stands behind his message — which is exactly the claim his opponents in Galatia were attacking.

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Galatians overview

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