Galatians · Bible in Basic English
Galatians 1 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Paul, an Apostle (not from men, and not through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who made him come back from the dead),
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—
2 And all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:
2 and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, so that he might make us free from this present evil world, after the purpose of our God and Father:
4 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—
5 To whom be the glory for ever and ever. So be it.
5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 I am surprised that you are being so quickly turned away from him whose word came to you in the grace of Christ, to good news of a different sort;
6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,
7 Which is not another sort: only there are some who give you trouble, desiring to make changes in the good news of Christ.
7 but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, were to be a preacher to you of good news other than that which we have given you, let there be a curse on him.
8 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.
9 As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man is a preacher to you of any good news other than that which has been given to you, let there be a curse on him.
9 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.
10 Am I now using arguments to men, or God? or is it my desire to give men pleasure? if I was still pleasing men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
10 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.
11 Because I say to you, my brothers, that the good news of which I was the preacher is not man's.
11 But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.
12 For I did not get it from man, and I was not given teaching in it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
12 For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For news has come to you of my way of life in the past in the Jews' religion, how I was cruel without measure to the church of God, and did great damage to it:
13 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.
14 And I went farther in the Jews' religion than a number of my generation among my countrymen, having a more burning interest in the beliefs handed down from my fathers.
14 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.
15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, by whom I was marked out even from my mother's body, through his grace,
15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace,
16 To give the revelation of his Son in me, so that I might give the news of him to the Gentiles; then I did not take the opinion of flesh and blood,
16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 And I went not up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went away into Arabia, and again I came back to Damascus.
17 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.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas, and was there with him fifteen days.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 But of the other Apostles I saw only James, the Lord's brother.
19 But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 Now God is witness that the things which I am writing to you are true.
20 Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.
21 Then I came to the parts of Syria and Cilicia.
21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 And the churches of Judaea which were in Christ still had no knowledge of my face or person:
22 I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,
23 Only it came to their ears that he who at one time was cruel to us is now preaching the faith which before had been attacked by him;
23 but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”
24 And they gave glory to God in me.
24 So they glorified God in me.
Cross references (24)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 1:11–12; 1 Corinthians 1:1; Acts 9:15–16; Romans 1:1; Revelation 1:5
- 2 Philippians 4:21; 1 Corinthians 16:1; Acts 16:5–6; Philippians 2:22; Acts 18:23
- 3 2 John 3; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Romans 1:7–15; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 1:3
- 4 Matthew 20:28; Romans 4:25; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 2:15–17; 1 John 5:19–20
- 5 Romans 11:36; Jude 25; Hebrews 13:21; Psalm 72:19; 2 Timothy 4:18
- 6 2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 5:7–8; Isaiah 29:13; Psalm 106:13; Galatians 3:1–5
- 7 Acts 15:24; Romans 16:17–18; Galatians 5:10; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Acts 15:1–5
- 8 2 Corinthians 11:13–14; Revelation 22:18–19; Galatians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 16:22; Romans 9:3
- 9 Romans 16:17; Proverbs 30:6; Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18–19; Deuteronomy 12:32–13:11
- 10 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Acts 5:29; Ephesians 6:6; James 4:4; Matthew 22:16
- 11 Galatians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 2:9–10; Ephesians 3:3–8; 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1–3
- 12 1 Corinthians 2:10; Galatians 1:16; Galatians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 12:1; 1 Corinthians 11:23
- 13 Acts 22:3–5; Acts 8:3; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Acts 26:4–5; Acts 26:9–11
- 14 Colossians 2:8; Acts 26:5; Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:4–6; Matthew 15:6
- 15 Jeremiah 1:5; Isaiah 49:5; 2 Timothy 1:9; Isaiah 49:1; Ephesians 1:5
- 16 Matthew 16:17; Ephesians 3:5–10; Ephesians 1:17–18; Matthew 26:41; Romans 1:13–14
- 17 Acts 9:20–25; 2 Corinthians 11:32–33; Galatians 1:18
- 18 Acts 9:22–23; Acts 9:26–29; Acts 22:17–18
- 19 Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Matthew 12:46; 1 Corinthians 9:5; Matthew 10:3
- 20 Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 11:31; 2 Corinthians 11:10–11
- 21 Acts 15:41; Acts 6:9; Acts 9:30; Acts 13:1; Acts 15:23
- 22 1 Thessalonians 2:14; Romans 16:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; Acts 9:31
- 23 1 Corinthians 15:8–10; 1 Timothy 1:13–16; Acts 9:13; Acts 9:20; Acts 9:26
- 24 Acts 11:18; Luke 15:10; Luke 2:14; Matthew 9:8; Luke 15:32
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… and purity; and may He bestow on you a lot and portion among His saints, and on us with you, and on all that are under heaven, who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in His Father, who "raised Him from the dead." Pray for all the saints.
Just, then, as "Paul [was] an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father," [so with the rest;] the Son indeed leading them to the Father, but the Father revealing to them the Son.
Against such parties it is said, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ;" and, by the prophet, "They who please men are put to shame, because God hath despised them;" and again, "God hath broken the bones of those who please men;" and again the apostle, "Let us not be desirous of vainglory;" and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… and darting fire; which thing he himself makes a proof of the power of Him that called him, saying to the Galatians, "Ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God." And the fishermen too He called when they were in the midst of their business.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For though we or an angel from heaven preach to you any other gospel than that ye have received, let him be to you anathema.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)