1Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia: 3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 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 Christ to a different “good news”, 7but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. 8But 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. 9As 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.
10For 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.
11But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. 12For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For 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. 14I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly 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 Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t 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 assemblies of Judea which were in Christ, 23but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24So they glorified God in me.
Apostles (Gk. ἀπόστολος, apostolos). (9:10, Mat 10:2, Mark 6:30, Luke 2:37, 9:27, 15:22, Rom 16:7, 1 Cor 12:28, 2 Cor 12:11, Gal 1:17, Eph 4:11, 1Thess 2:6, 2 Pet 3:2, Jude17, Rev 2:2, 18:20) Strong’s 652
It was Jesus who first called the disciples “apostles” (Luke 6:13). This word is a compound noun formed from the preposition ἀπό (apo), “from, away” and the verb στέλλω (stello), “to send,” so the word means one who is sent. The predominant use of this word in the NT is in a special sense, for that group of honored believers, sent by Christ to preach the gospel and provide leadership for His people. There seem to be only a few apostles: the original twelve, Matthias (Acts 1:26) and Paul (Rom 1:1; 1 Cor 15:8). The requirement of an apostle is to have been with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry (Acts 1:21–23) through the resurrection (with Paul as the exception), and to be able to do the miracles of an apostle (2 Cor 2:12; Heb 2:4). After the ascension of Jesus and the beginning of the church, the apostles were seen as functioning in an apostolic office (Eph 4:11) needed in the beginning, foundational days of the church (Eph 2:2). Paul was the last true apostle appointed. Most importantly, the apostles were called and sent to influence people to influence others toward Christ.