Galatians 1: No Other Gospel
Astonished that the Galatians are deserting grace, Paul defends the divine origin of his gospel and pronounces a curse on any other message.
Galatians 1 (WEB)
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither 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 assemblies of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
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 forever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”;
7 and 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 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 I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.
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 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 neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
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 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, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace,
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 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 visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother.
20 Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying.
21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,
23 but they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”
24 And they glorified God in me.
Galatians 1 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.
Galatians 1 (ASV)
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),
2 and all the brethren that are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father:
5 to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel;
7 which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.
9 As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.
10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.
11 For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man.
12 For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it:
14 and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine 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, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace,
16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17 neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
20 Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22 And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judæa which were in Christ:
23 but they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc;
24 and they glorified God in me.
Summary
Paul opens not with his usual warm thanksgiving but with alarm. He identifies himself as an apostle sent not from men but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, and reminds the Galatians that Christ gave himself for their sins to rescue them from this present evil age. Then he comes straight to the crisis: he marvels that they are so quickly deserting the One who called them in grace, turning to a different “good news” that is no good news at all. There is only one gospel, and Paul pronounces a curse—twice—on anyone, even an angel from heaven, who preaches another. He insists he is not trying to win human approval; a servant of Christ cannot live to please men. To prove that his message came from God and not from any human source, Paul recounts his own story: his former life as a zealous persecutor of the church, his calling by God's grace to reveal Christ in him, and how he did not immediately consult the other apostles but went to Arabia and only later, after three years, met Peter briefly in Jerusalem. The churches of Judea, who had not even met him, glorified God because the one who once persecuted the faith now preached it.
Key Figures
- Paul — The apostle whose message and authority come directly from Jesus Christ, who recounts his violent past and his conversion by grace to prove the gospel he preaches is not of human origin.
- The Galatian churches — The assemblies turning so quickly from grace to a different gospel, prompting Paul's astonished and urgent letter.
- The agitators — Those troubling the churches and seeking to pervert the Good News of Christ, against whom Paul pronounces a solemn curse.
- Christ Jesus — The risen Lord who gave himself for our sins, called Paul by grace, and revealed his Son in him to be preached among the Gentiles.
Key Verse
Galatians 1:8 (WEB)
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.
Lessons Learned
- There is only one gospel, and any addition to it is a distortion that condemns rather than saves.
- The truth of the gospel does not depend on the messenger; even an angel must be rejected if he changes it.
- A servant of Christ seeks God's approval, not the favor of people.
- God's grace can take a violent enemy of the church and make him a herald of the very faith he tried to destroy.
- The gospel is grace from start to finish. Christ “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age” (Galatians 1:4, WEB). Salvation is his gift, not our achievement.
- Adding to the gospel destroys it. To turn “to a different ‘good news’” is to desert the God who called them (Galatians 1:6, WEB). A gospel-plus is no gospel at all.
- Christ comes before applause. “If I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10, WEB). Faithfulness sometimes costs us human approval.
- Grace transforms the worst of us. Paul, who “beyond measure… persecuted the assembly of God” (Galatians 1:13, WEB), was called by grace to preach Christ. No one is beyond God's mercy.
- Why does Paul skip his usual thanksgiving and move straight to rebuke? What does that tell us about the seriousness of the situation?
- Paul says even an angel preaching another gospel should be cursed (1:8). Why is the content of the message more important than the credentials of the messenger?
- How does verse 10 expose the difference between pleasing people and serving Christ?
- How does Paul's own conversion story support his claim that the gospel came to him by revelation, not from men?
- Where are you tempted to soften or add to the gospel in order to make it more acceptable to others or to yourself?
- Paul is alarmed because the gospel itself is under threat; this is no minor disagreement but a matter of eternal salvation. His omission of thanksgiving signals that something is gravely wrong. Help the group sense the pastoral love behind his sharp words—he writes this way because he cannot bear to see them lose grace.
- A true-sounding teacher with the wrong message is more dangerous than an obvious enemy. Paul's point is that the gospel is fixed; no authority, however exalted, may alter it. Encourage the group to weigh every teaching against the message of Christ crucified for sinners, received by faith.
- Verse 10 shows that the desire for human approval and faithful service to Christ can pull in opposite directions. When we shape our message to win applause, we cease to serve Christ. Invite honest reflection on where the fear of others' opinions tempts us to compromise.
- Paul stresses that he received the gospel “through revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:12), not from the apostles, and that he was a persecutor before grace seized him. His transformation could only be God's doing. The story proves both the divine origin of his message and the power of grace.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider quietly where they trim the gospel—downplaying sin, adding rules, or making grace conditional. As leader, hold out the freedom of resting fully in Christ's finished work, and keep the tone gentle and inviting.