GALATIANS • CHAPTER 1

Galatians 1

Gentile inclusion, Torah, circumcision, faith, Abraham, freedom, Spirit, flesh, and Christian identity.

READ THE CHAPTER

Galatians 1

WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

The complete biblical text below is stored on this website.

You do not need to leave The Bible for Smart People to read it.

Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—

and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

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

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—

to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,

but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

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.

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.

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.

But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

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.

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.

But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace

to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,

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.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.

Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.

Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

but they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”

So they glorified God in me.

READ FIRST. INTERPRET SECOND.

Keep the text open while reading the analysis on this page.

Separate what the chapter actually says from what later religious traditions, commentators, or critics say about it.

ABOUT THE TEXT

Scripture text: World English Bible.

The World English Bible is public domain.

This site stores its own local copy rather than depending on an external reader.

PAULINE LETTER

Where this chapter fits

Galatians is an early Christian letter written into specific community circumstances; reading it well requires distinguishing the original audience from later universal application.

Chapter numbers were added long after the biblical books were written.

Read this chapter together with what comes immediately before and after it.

ANCIENT TEXT, MODERN QUESTIONS

Historical claims should be compared with historical evidence.

Scientific claims should be compared with science.

Moral claims should be examined morally.

Theological claims require theological and philosophical argument.

QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING

Don't skip the hard parts.

What does the chapter actually say?

Identify the explicit claims before importing later doctrine or assumptions.

What kind of literature is this?

Narrative, poetry, prophecy, law, letters, wisdom, and apocalypse communicate differently.

What historical evidence matters?

Ask whether names, places, institutions, events, customs, and chronology can be independently investigated.

What are the strongest competing interpretations?

Compare serious Jewish, Christian, academic, and skeptical readings rather than caricatures.

🔒

CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION

You've reached the member analysis.

You can keep reading every Bible chapter on this site for free.

Membership unlocks the deeper analysis, historical context, competing interpretations, perspectives, and conclusion.

WANT TO KEEP READING FOR FREE?

Continue to Galatians 2

The complete biblical text of the next chapter is free to read.

You only need membership when you want the deeper analysis and side-by-side investigation.