What does Galatians 1:9 mean?

This verse repeats Paul's words in the previous verse with even greater emphasis. Repetition in the New Testament is often used to emphasize a point. Here, Paul seems to want to make doubly sure his readers understand exactly how serious this is.

Paul, writing under the full weight of his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ, says once more that anyone who preaches a distorted gospel to them—a message that is different in any way from the one they received from him when he was with them in person—that person stands "accursed." Specifically, Paul is referring to those who insist on adding obedience to Old Testament laws to their requirements for salvation. More generally, however, this applies to anyone who warps the message of salvation in any way.

The curse levelled by Paul involves eternal damnation. His implication is that false teachers cannot show you the way to salvation because they do not have it themselves. They are condemned. Paul's letter will clarify exactly why it is so essential not to believe anyone who wants them to believe an altered version of the simple, powerful gospel message of Jesus that Paul has shown to them.