1 Paul, an apostle, ([an office not given to me] by men or a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),
2 and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia.
3 May grace and peace be yours from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal 1:4 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,
4
5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 I'm amazed that you have switched over so soon from him who called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel,
7 which is not another [Gospel], unless there be some who would trouble you and pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you other than what we preach, let him be guaranteed for God's curse.
9 As we said before, I now say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than the one you have received, let that person be guaranteed for God's curse.
10 For am I now trying to please men or God? Does this sound like I'm trying to get human approval? For if I'm trying to get human approval, I wouldn't be the slave of Christ.
11 I want it made known to you, brethren that the gospel, which was preached by me, is not of human origin.
12 Because I did not receive it from man, nor was taught it, but I [received it] by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my earlier way of life in Judaism, how violently I persecuted God's church and tried to liquidate it,
14 and outdistanced many of my peers in the Jew's religion as I was much more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.
15 But when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called [me] by his grace,
16 to reveal his son to me, so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, immediately, I did not ask advice of any human,
17 neither did I go to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went to Jerusalem to visit Peter and stayed with him fifteen days.
19 I did not see any of the other apostles, except James the Lord's brother.
20 Now, pay attention, the things that I write to you [are true]; before God, I do not lie.
21 Later, I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia
22 and was unknown personally by the churches in Christ in Judea.
23 They only had heard that he who used to persecute us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.
24 So they praised God because of what happened to me.
1 Fourteen years later I again went to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and I also took Titus.
2 I went up according to revelation and fully explained the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but [it was] in private to those who were regarded as leaders, lest somehow I exhausted myself for nothing.
3 But not even Titus, who was with me, was forced to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
4 And on account of this, false brethren secretly came in, who secretly came in to spy on our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, so they might bring us into slavery.
5 We did not yield by submitting to them, no not for an instant, so that the truth of the gospel might stay [with you] permanently.
6 But those who seemed to be someone [important]--whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, God does not regard anybody's person--those added nothing to my [message].
7 On the contrary, they saw that the gospel to the uncircumcision was committed to me as [the gospel] to the circumcision was committed to Peter.
8 For he who worked the apostleship mightily through Peter to the circumcision was the same who worked mightily through me to the Gentiles.
9 Also when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, recognized the grace that was given to me. They gave Barnabas and me the right hands of fellowship, so that we [should go] to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision.
10 The only thing [they asked was] that we would remember the poor, which was the same thing I also was eager to do.
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him face to face, because he was clearly wrong.
12 Before some men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, being afraid of those who were of the circumcision.
13 Then the other Jews acted as hypocrites with him, so that even Barnabas yielded to their hypocrisy.
14 But when I became aware that they were not acting uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "If you, a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, why do you force the Gentiles to live like the Jews?
15 "We, who are born Jews and not Gentile sinners,
16 know that person is not justified by the works of the law, [it is] only through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, not by the works of the law, because no flesh can be justified by the works of the law.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we are also found to be sinners, does that mean that Christ is the promoter of sin? Absolutely not!
18 "For if I rebuild the things that I torn down, then I establish myself as a lawbreaker.
19 "For through The Law I am dead, so that I might live for God.
20 "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet, it is not I but Christ living in me, and the life I now am living in the flesh, I live through the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
21 "I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes by The Law, then Christ died for no reason."
1 O foolish Galatians, who has cast a spell on you that you wouldn't obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ's crucifixion was vividly described to you.
2 I only want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit from the Law or from the message of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having started by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh?
4 Have you suffered so many things in vain?
5 Therefore does he who is supplying the Spirit and working miracles in you [do it] by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7 So then, understand that those who are of faith; these are the children of Abraham.
8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham: "In you all nations will be blessed."
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed along with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are by works of The Law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who doesn't continue to do everything that is written in the book of The Law."
11 Now that no man is justified in God's sight by The Law is clearly evident, for, "The just shall live by faith."
12 The Law is not of faith, but "The man who does them will live by them."
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of The Law, when he was made a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree,"
14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, [and] that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
15 Brothers, humanly speaking even if it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no man can set it aside or add to it.
16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and his seed. He didn't say "To seeds" meaning many, but only of one "To your seed" which is Christ.
17 Now I say this that the covenant, which was confirmed by God in Christ, cannot be invalidated by The Law, which was four hundred and thirty years later; [The Law] cannot abolish the promise.
18 For if the inheritance is by The Law, it is no longer by promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 So then what is the purpose of The Law? It was added, because of the transgressions until The Seed would come to whom the promise was made. It was officially established through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not just of one, but God is one.
21 Is the Law then against God's promises? Absolutely not! For if there could have been a law given which could have given life, then truly righteousness could have been by The Law.
22 But the Scripture has enclosed all under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under The Law, shut away from the faith, which would later be revealed.
24 So then The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.
1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a servant even though he is lord of all.
2 But is under tutors and supervisors until the designated time by the father.
3 So we also, when we were children were in bondage to the principles of the world.
4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born subject to the law,
5 to redeem those who were subject to The Law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of His Son into your hearts calling, "Abba, Father."
7 Therefore you are no longer a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 How is it then? When you didn't know God, you served those which by nature of not gods.
9 But now, after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how can you return to those weak and destitute principles to which you desire to be in bondage?
10 You observe days, months, times, and years.
11 I am afraid for you, lest I have worked so hard among you, so hard for nothing.
12 Brothers, I plead with you, be as I am, for I am like you. You haven't hurt me at all.
13 You know how through the weakness of the flesh, I preached the Gospel to you at first.
14 And as for my adversity, which was in my flesh, you didn't despise or reject [me] but took me in as an angel of God, even as [you would] Christ Jesus.
15 What great happiness you had then! For I testify that if possible you would have pulled your eyes out and given them to me.
16 Am I now your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They can really stir your emotions, but not in a good sense. Yes, they would even exclude you, if it would make you zealous for them.
18 It always good to be zealous in a good sense, and not just when I am with you.
19 My little children, of whom, I labored in birth, until Christ is formed in you.
20 I desire to be with you now and to change my tone, for I have some doubts about you.
21 Tell me, you who desire to be subject to The Law, don't you understand The Law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a freeborn woman.
23 But the one from the slave was born by natural means, but the one from the freeborn woman was born by a promise.
24 These things are an allegory, for these are two legal agreements. One corresponds to Mount Sinai, which leads to slavery; this is Hagar.
25 For Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the Jerusalem that is now, and who is in slavery with her children.
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, who is the mother of all of us.
27 For it is written, "Rejoice you barren who doesn't bear [children], release your emotions and shout, you who never felt childbirth, for the deserted woman has many more children than she who has a husband."
28 Now we, brothers, are the children of promise like Isaac was.
29 But as then, he who was born by natural means persecuted him born by the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless, what does the Scripture say? "Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not be heir with the son of the freeborn woman."
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free.
1 Therefore stand firm in that freedom in which Christ has made us free and don't be entangled again with the yoke of slavery.
2 Look, I Paul say to you that if you going to be circumcised, then Christ will not be of any profit to you.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is obligated to do the whole law.
4 Christ is useless to you, whomever of you who are justified by The Law; you have fallen from grace.
5 For through the Spirit we wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision means anything or uncircumcision, only faith working through love.
7 You were doing so well, who hindered you so that you wouldn't obey the truth?
8 This personal belief is not from him who calls you.
9 A little yeast effects the whole batch of dough.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will think no other way, but he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? For then the offense of the cross has ceased.
12 I wish those who trouble you, would cut it all off.
13 For brothers you have been called into freedom, but freedom not for an opportunity for the flesh, instead serve one another through love.
14 For all The Law is fulfilled in one saying, namely, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."
15 But if you bite and devour each other, take heed that you don't be destroyed by one another.
16 I say, "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you cannot do the things that you want to.
18 But if you are lead by the Spirit, you are not under The Law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious; they are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, unrestrained desires,
20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, provoking jealousy, hot anger, pushing to be first, selfish scheming, dissensions, heresy,
21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, wild partying, and so on, about which I have told you before, and as I have also told you in the past that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 meekness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
24 Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be longing for empty praise, irritating one another, and envying one another.
1 Brothers, if someone has been blind sided by a certain wrongdoing, then you who are spiritual restore this one with an attitude of meekness. Consider yourself, lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if someone thinks of himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 Instead let everyone put his own work to the test, then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, not in someone else.
5 For everyone will bear his own burden.
6 Let him who is instructed in The Word share all good things with him who teaches.
7 Don't be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows is what he will also reap.
8 For he who sows in his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but he who sows in the Spirit will reap everlasting life from the Spirit.
9 Let us not get worn out doing good, for we will reap eventually, if we don't give up.
10 Therefore when we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those of the family of faith.
11 Look how large a letter I have written to you with my own hand!
12 As many as want to put on a pleasing appearance in the flesh, these insist that you be circumcised, only for fear of suffering persecution because of the cross of Christ.
13 For they who are circumcised don't keep The Law, but they want you to be circumcised, so that they can glory in your flesh.
14 But may it never happen to me that I would glory in anything except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value, just a new creature.
16 To as many as walk according to that rule, may peace and mercy be on them and on the Israel of God.
17 From now on don't let any one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
18 Brothers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.