Galatians

Chapter 1

¹ Paul, an apostle—not from men nor by man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, the one who raised him from the dead— ² and all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia: ³ Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ the one who gave himself for our sins so that he might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

⁶ I am amazed that you are turning away so quickly to a different gospel from the one who called you by the grace of Christ, ⁷ which is not another, except certain ones are causing you trouble and want to change the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel other than the one we proclaimed to you, let him be cursed. ⁹ As we have said before, and now I say again, “If someone proclaims to you a gospel other than the one you received, let him be cursed.” ¹⁰ For am I now persuading men or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I am still pleasing men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

¹¹ For I make known to you, brothers, that the gospel which was proclaimed by me is not according to man. ¹² For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it. Instead, it was by revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For you have heard about my former life in Judaism, that I was persecuting the church of God beyond measure and I was destroying it. ¹⁴ And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age, from my own race. I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when the one who had set me apart from the womb of my mother, and who called me through his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood. ¹⁷ I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. Instead, I went to Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and I stayed with him 15 days. ¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the brother of the Lord. ²⁰ But in what I write to you, behold, before God, I am not lying. ²¹ Then I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² But I was not known by face to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³ But they were only hearing, "The one who formerly persecuted us is now proclaiming the faith which he formerly was destroying." ²⁴ And so they glorified God in me.

Chapter 2

¹ Then after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, also taking Titus along with me. ² But I went up according to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles. And I spoke privately to those who seemed to be important, lest I would be running—or had run—in vain. ³ But not even Titus, who was with me, who was a Greek, was forced to be circumcised. ⁴ But this happened because of the false brothers who came in secretly, who came in secretly to spy on our liberty that we have in Christ Jesus so that they would enslave us, ⁵ but we did not yield in submission to them for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. ⁶ But those who seemed to be something (what they were formerly matters nothing to me, God does not accept the face of man)—indeed, those who seemed important added nothing to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision. ⁸ For God, who worked in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcision, also worked in me to the Gentiles. ⁹ And when they understood the grace that had been given to me, James, and Cephas and John, those who were recognized to be pillars, gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, so that we would be to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision. ¹⁰ They requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing that I was also eager to do.

¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he was condemned. ¹² For before certain ones came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself. He was afraid of those from the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also joined with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not walking correctly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all of them, “If you, a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” ¹⁵ We are Jews by birth and not sinners from the Gentiles; ¹⁶ but we know that no man is justified by the works of the law except through faith in Jesus Christ. We also believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no flesh will be justified. ¹⁷ But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves, were also found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! ¹⁸ For if I again rebuild those things which I destroyed, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker. ¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. ²⁰ But I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. But that which I now live in the flesh I live by faith that is of the Son of God, the one who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

Chapter 3

¹ O foolish Galatians! Who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. ² I want to learn only this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? ⁴ Have you suffered so many things for nothing—if indeed it was really for nothing? ⁵ Therefore, he who provides the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, is it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ⁶ Just as Abraham “believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness,” ⁷ know, then, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham. ⁸ But the scripture, foreseeing that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.” ⁹ So then, those of faith are blessed along with the believing Abraham. ¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the law to do them.” ¹¹ Now, that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, because, "The righteous will live by faith." ¹² But the law is not of faith, but, “The one who does these things must live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— ¹⁴ so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

¹⁵ Brothers, I am speaking according to man. Nevertheless, in a covenant established by man, no one can set it aside or add to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “and to seeds,” as to many, but as to one, “and to your seed,” who is Christ. ¹⁷ And I say this: The law, which came 430 years afterward, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God, to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from promise. But God gave it to Abraham through a promise. ¹⁹ What, then, is the law? It was put into effect through angels by the hand of a mediator, added because of trespasses, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰ Now a mediator is not for one, but God is one. ²¹ So is the law against the promises? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to make alive, then righteousness would have come by the law. ²² But the scripture imprisoned all things under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

²³ And before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned to the faith about to be revealed. ²⁴ So then the law became our guardian until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But faith has come, and we are no longer under a guardian. ²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many as were 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 you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ But if you are of Christ, you are therefore seed of Abraham, and heirs according to promise.

Chapter 4

¹ But I say for as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, though he is master of everything. ² But he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by his father. ³ So also, when we were children, we were enslaved to the elemental principles of the world. ⁴ But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ in order to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, calling out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

⁸ But at that time, you did not know God, and you were enslaved to those who are, by nature, not gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather, you have come to be known by God, how are you turning again to the weak and worthless elemental principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You observe days and moons and seasons and years! ¹¹ I am afraid for you lest I labor among you for nothing.

¹² I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also am as you. You did me no wrong. ¹³ But you know that because of a weakness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you at the first. ¹⁴ And you did not despise my testing in your flesh or reject me. Instead you welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself. ¹⁵ Where, then, is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ So then, speaking the truth to you, have I become your enemy? ¹⁷ They are zealous for you, not rightly, but to shut you out, desiring that you would be zealous for them. ¹⁸ But it is always good to be zealous for good, and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹ My little children, with whom I am in labor again until Christ is formed in you— ²⁰ but wishing to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave girl and one by the free woman. ²³ But the one was born from the slave girl according to the flesh, and the other from the free woman through promise. ²⁴ These are spoken as an allegory, for they are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and gives birth to slavery. This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; and she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,

     “Rejoice, you barren one who does not give birth;

     cry out and shout for joy, you who are not suffering the pains of childbirth;

     because the children of the abandoned one are more

     than those of the one who has a husband.”

²⁸ But you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ But just as then, the one who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one according to the Spirit, so it also is now. ³⁰ But what does the scripture say? “Send away the slave girl and her son. For the son of the slave girl will certainly not inherit with the son of the free woman.” ³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a slave girl, but of the free woman.

Chapter 5

¹ For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not again be subjected to a yoke of slavery.

² Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will benefit you nothing. ³ But I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴ You are cut off from Christ, whoever is justified by the law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith working through love. ⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ The persuasion is not from the one who calls you! ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I am confident about you in the Lord that you will think nothing otherwise. But the one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be. ¹¹ But brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross is removed. ¹² I wish those who are disturbing you would even castrate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. But not freedom for an opportunity for the sinful nature; rather, through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one command, in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. For these oppose each other, so that you may not do the things you may want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, rivalry, dissension, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, drunken celebrations, and things like these. I warn you about these things, just as I warned you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ But those of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Chapter 6

¹ Brothers, even if a man is caught in any trespass, let you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Consider yourself so you also may not be tempted. ² Carry one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone desires to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself alone and not in someone else. ⁵ For each one will carry his own burden.

⁶ But let the one who is taught the word share in all good things with the one who teaches. ⁷ Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction. But the one who sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ But we should not become weary in doing good, for at the right time we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹⁰ So then, as we have time, we should do good to all people, but especially to those of the household of faith.

¹¹ See what large letters I write to you with my own hand. ¹² As many as want to make a good impression in the flesh, they are compelling you to be circumcised, only so they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ Jesus. ¹³ For not even those who have been circumcised keep the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But may it never be to me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For neither circumcision is anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. ¹⁶ And to as many as will live to this standard, peace and mercy upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I carry in my body the marks of Jesus.

¹⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.