Galatians 1:23-24

Paul had changed completely. The *churches in Judea heard reports about Paul. They were pleased to hear what God was doing in Paul’s life. So they praised God because God had changed Paul so much. This is different from the *churches in Galatia. They had heard Paul teach the *good news about Jesus. But they began to doubt what Paul had taught them (verse 6).

Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything about Jews.
Jew ~ a person who comes from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; or, a person who follows the Jewish religion.
sin ~ when people do not obey God; something bad that a person does against God or against other people.
preach ~ to teach the good news about Jesus Christ.

good news ~ the good news for everyone that God forgives everyone who trusts Jesus Christ. God sent Jesus to this world. Jesus died on a wooden cross and then God made him alive again. Jesus died on our behalf. He died to make people free from their sins.
sin ~ when people do not obey God; something bad that a person does against God or against other people.

'good news ~ the good news for everyone that God forgives everyone who trusts Jesus Christ. God sent Jesus to this world. Jesus died on a wooden cross and then God made him alive again. Jesus died on our behalf. He died to make people free from their sins.
sin ~ when people do not obey God; something bad that a person does against God or against other people.
Gentile ~ any person who is not a Jew.
Jew ~ a person who comes from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; or, a person who follows the Jewish religion.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything about Jews.
Jew ~ a person who comes from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; or, a person who follows the Jewish religion.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything about Jews.
apostle ~ someone whom God sends to teach about Jesus and to lead his church.
church ~ a group of Christians, or all Christians. It does not refer to the building where they meet.
church ~ a group of Christians, or all Christians. It does not refer to the building where they meet.
peace ~ in the Hebrew language, this word is ‘shalom’. It is a traditional greeting in the Old Testament (Numbers 6:24-26) and among Jewish people today. ‘Peace’ is not just the opposite of war or noise. Peace means that God gives a person a calm spirit. This affects every part of a person’s life and relationships.
Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke. The authors wrote most of the Old Testament in the Hebrew language.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible, which writers wrote before Jesus was born.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything about Jews.
Jew ~ a person who comes from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; or, a person who follows the Jewish religion.
Lord ~ the title for God or Jesus in the Bible. It shows that he has authority as our ruler.
church ~ a group of Christians, or all Christians. It does not refer to the building where they meet.
Greek ~ a person who comes from the country called Greece; or, the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible that the writers wrote after the life of Jesus. It is about the things that Jesus taught. It describes the main events during his life. The New Testament is also about what Christians believe. And it explains how Christians should live.
Hebrew ~ the language that the Jews spoke. The authors wrote most of the Old Testament in the Hebrew language.
Jew ~ a person who comes from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; or, a person who follows the Jewish religion.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible, which writers wrote before Jesus was born.
Jewish ~ a word that describes a Jew or anything about Jews.

'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible, which writers wrote before Jesus was born.
worship ~ to give honour to God; or, to give honour to a false god; to tell someone that they are very great; and to tell them that you love them; to praise and serve God.
angel ~ a servant of God. He brings messages from God to people on earth. But an ‘evil angel’ (also called a demon or evil spirit) is a servant of the devil.
apostle ~ someone whom God sends to teach about Jesus and to lead his church.
church ~ a group of Christians, or all Christians. It does not refer to the building where they meet.
disciple ~ someone who learns what Jesus taught. A disciple trusts and follows Jesus.

Continue to Believe the Truth

Galatians

Roy Rohu

About Galatians

Paul wrote this letter about 50 years after the birth of Jesus. He wrote in the Greek language. The people called Galatians lived in part of the country that we now call Turkey. After his usual greeting, ‘I pray that you will have *grace and *peace’, Paul did not continue with gentle, loving words as he always did in his other letters. He was not pleased with them.

Many people in Galatia had become Christians. Some of these people were *Jews. Before they became Christians, they had tried to obey all of the very strict laws of Moses. They had tried to please God in this way. Now some of these Christian *Jews wanted to go back to the strict laws. They wanted to *circumcise all Christian men. They said that *faith in God was not enough. In this way, they refused what Paul was teaching.

To start, Paul said three important things:

1. He said that he was a true *apostle (1:1).

2. He said that his message was the only true message (1:6-10).

3. He said that he got his message from Jesus himself (1:12).

Chapter 1

v1 This letter is from Paul, the *apostle. Men have not made me an *apostle. Jesus Christ and God the Father did it. God brought Jesus back from death. v2 And this letter is from all the *brothers who are with me. This letter is to the *churches in Galatia.

In all his letters, Paul says that God raised Jesus from death. And he says that Jesus is alive again. This is extremely important. Paul also says that ‘all the *brothers’ agree with him and with his message (see also Galatians 1:24 and Galatians 2:9). In the Greek language, the word ‘*brothers’ can mean a group of both men and women. When Paul says ‘*brothers’, he does not mean people of his own family, but other Christians.

v3 I pray that you will have *grace and *peace, from God the Father, and our *Lord Jesus Christ. v4 Jesus obeyed God our Father and Jesus died for our *sins. He did this because God our Father wanted us to be free from this evil world. v5 God’s greatness will always be wonderful. *Amen!

Paul began with a prayer for all the Christians at Galatia. He prayed that they would have *grace and *peace. People who used the Greek language spoke a lot about *grace. And people who used the *Jews’ language, Hebrew, spoke a lot about *peace. He wanted to teach both the *Gentiles (those who were not *Jews) and the *Jews something. When they obey Jesus, they are all Christians together. That is what he wanted to teach them. ‘Free from this evil world’ means free in their minds. He wanted their minds to be free from the ways of the people of the world.

v6 It surprises me that you are turning away from God so soon. He is so kind and he chose you. But you have believed another message. v7 That message is not the *good news. Some people are trying to change the *good news of Christ into something else. v8 We have already told you the *good news. Let us suppose that we, or an *angel from *heaven told you different ‘*good news’ from that. Then God will punish that person. v9 As I said before, I say again. You believed the ‘*good news’ that you heard from us. If anyone teaches you something different, then God will punish him.

v10 I do not try to please people. I try to please God. If I tried to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

v11 The *good news that I tell is from God, not from men! v12 I did not get it from people. Nobody told it to me. Jesus Christ caused me to understand it. v13 You have heard the story of my past when I was a *Jew. You know that I was very cruel to the *church of God. I even tried to destroy it. v14 I was even stronger in the religion of the *Jews than other young *Jews. I obeyed all our traditions. v15 But, before I was born, God had chosen me. And, one day, by his *grace, he showed me his Son. v16 God did this so that I had the *good news to tell to the *Gentiles. I did not ask anyone to teach me. v17 I did not go to Jerusalem city to the men there who were *apostles already. Instead, I went to the country called Arabia. Then I came back to Damascus city.

Paul tells how he received the *good news in verses 11-17. He wants the Christians at Galatia to know why his message is the true *good news. There were no Christian teachers in Arabia at that time. Paul wanted to learn from God, by himself.

v18 After 3 years, I went up to Jerusalem in order to see Peter. I was there with him for 15 days. v19 The only other *apostle that I saw was James, the brother of the *Lord Jesus. v20 God knows that all of this is true.

v21 Then I came to the countries called Syria and Cilicia.

v22 But none of the Christians in Judea knew me then. v23 They only heard this report. The cruel man who had tried to destroy the *good news was now telling it. v24 And they thanked God.

grace ~ a gift from God that we do not deserve or earn.
earn ~ gain by work.
peace ~ when we are friends with God and with other people.
Jew ~ a person who is born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children; or a person who believes what Jews believe.'circumcise/circumcision ~ to cut off the loose skin from the end of the sex part of a boy or man.
faith ~ belief in something; or belief and trust in someone; or belief and trust in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
apostle ~ a man that God chose to lead his church.
church ~ a group of people who obey and believe in Jesus Christ.
brothers ~ people who are part of God’s family; When Paul says ‘brothers (and sisters)’, he does not mean people of his own family, but other Christians.
church ~ a group of people who obey and believe in Jesus Christ.
Lord ~ the name for God in the Bible; it means that he is head over all; a name that we call Jesus; we call Jesus Lord when we obey him; someone with authority.'sin/sins ~ when people do things against God or other people.
amen ~ that is right; let it be so; oh, yes!
Gentiles ~ people who are not Jews.
Jew ~ a person who is born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children; or a person who believes what Jews believe.'good news ~ the good news that God saves people from sin by Jesus Christ.

sin/sins ~ when people do things against God or other people.
angel ~ a servant from God who brings messages from God’s home.
heaven ~ the place where God and Christ are.