Galatians 1

Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through ‘ISA1 AL-MASIH, and God2 the Father, who raised him from the dead), 2and all the brothers3 who are with me, to the congregations of Galatia: 3Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord4 ‘ISA AL-MASIH, 4who 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–5to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

6I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of AL-MASIH5 to a different Injil; 7but there isn’t another Injil. Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Injil6 of AL-MASIH. 8But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any Injil other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. 9As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any Injil other than that which you received, let him be cursed. 

10For am I now seeking the favour 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 AL-MASIH. 

11But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Injil which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. 12For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of ‘ISA AL-MASIH. 13For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted God’s congregation, and ravaged it. 14I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being much more zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, 16to reveal his Son7 in me, that I might preach him among the nations, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus. 

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother. 20Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying. 21Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22I was still unknown by face to the congregations of Judea which were in AL-MASIH, 23but they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24And they glorified God because of me.

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  1. 1:1 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
  2. 1:1 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
  3. 1:2 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.” ↩︎
  4. 1:3 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎
  5. 1:6 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH.  Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
  6. 1:7 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to, 
    1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books, 
    2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
    3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎
  7. 1:16 Son (of God), a title of the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed through Prophet Dawud in the Zabur 2:7-9, which says: I will tell of the decree. YAHWEH said to me, “You are my SON. Today I have become your FATHER. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, The ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” ↩︎