Paul’s Letter to the Galatians
1:1Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither
through man, but through Jesus Christ, and
God the Father, who raised him from the
dead), 1:2and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia: 1:3Grace to you and peace from God the Father,
and our Lord Jesus Christ, 1:4who 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--1:5to whom be the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
1:6I marvel that you are so quickly deserting
him who called you in the grace of Christ
to a different gospel; 1:7and there isn't another gospel. Only there
are some who trouble you, and want to pervert
the Gospel of Christ. 1:8But even though we, or an angel from heaven,
should preach to you any gospel other than
that which we preached to you, let him be
cursed. 1:9As we have said
before, so I now say again: if any man preaches
to you any gospel other than that which
you received, let him be cursed. 1:10For 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. 1:11But I make known
to you, brothers, concerning the Gospel
which was preached by me, that it is not
according to man. 1:12For neither did
I receive it from man, nor was I taught
it, but it came to me through revelation
of Jesus Christ. 1:13For 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. 1:14I advanced in the
Jews' religion beyond many of my own age
among my countrymen, being more exceedingly
zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
1:15But when it was the good pleasure of
God, who separated me from my mother's womb,
and called me through his grace, 1:16to reveal his Son in me, that I might
preach him among the Gentiles, I didn't
immediately confer with flesh and blood,
1:17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those
who were apostles before me, but I went
away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.
1:18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen
days. 1:19But of the other apostles I saw no one,
except James, the Lord's brother. 1:20Now about the things
which I write to you, behold, before God,
I'm not lying. 1:21Then I came to the regions of Syria and
Cilicia. 1:22I was still unknown by face to the assemblies
of Judea which were in Christ, 1:23but they only heard:
"He who once persecuted us now preaches
the faith that he once tried to destroy."
1:24And they glorified God in me.
2:1Then after a period of fourteen years
I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas,
taking Titus also with me. 2:2I went up by revelation, and I laid before
them the Gospel which I preach among the
Gentiles, but privately before those who
were respected, for fear that I might be
running, or had run, in vain. 2:3But not even Titus, who was with me, being
a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
2:4This was because
of the false brothers secretly brought in,
who stole in to spy out our liberty which
we have in Christ Jesus, that they might
bring us into bondage; 2:5to whom we gave no place in the way of
subjection, not for an hour, that the truth
of the Gospel might continue with you. 2:6But from those who were reputed to be
important (whatever they were, it makes
no difference to me; God doesn't show partiality
to man)--they, I say, who were respected
imparted nothing to me, 2:7but to the contrary, when they saw that
I had been entrusted with the Gospel for
the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the
Gospel for the circumcision 2:8(for he who appointed
Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision
appointed me also to the Gentiles); 2:9and when they perceived the grace that
was given to me, James and Cephas and John,
they who were reputed to be pillars, gave
to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship,
that we should go to the Gentiles, and they
to the circumcision. 2:10They only asked us to remember the poor--which
very thing I was also zealous to do.
2:11But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted
him to the face, because he stood condemned.
2:12For before some people came from James,
he ate with the Gentiles. But when they
came, he drew back and separated himself,
fearing those who were of the circumcision.
2:13And the rest of the Jews joined him in
his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was
carried away with their hypocrisy. 2:14But when I saw that they didn't walk
uprightly according to the truth of the
Gospel, I said to Peter before them all,
"If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles
do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel
the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?
2:15"We, being Jews by nature, and not
Gentile sinners, 2:16yet knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law but through the
faith of Jesus Christ, even we believed
in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified
by faith in Christ, and not by the works
of the law, because no flesh will be justified
by the works of the law. 2:17But if, while we
sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves
also were found sinners, is Christ a servant
of sin? Certainly not! 2:18For if I build
up again those things which I destroyed,
I prove myself a law-breaker. 2:19For I, through the law, died to the law,
that I might live to God. 2:20I have been crucified
with Christ, and it is no longer I that
live, but Christ living in me. That life
which I now live in the flesh, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself up for me. 2:21I don't make void
the grace of God. For if righteousness is
through the law, then Christ died for nothing!"
3:1Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you
not to obey the truth, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ was openly set forth among
you as crucified? 3:2I just want to learn
this from you. Did you receive the Spirit
by the works of the law, or by hearing of
faith? 3:3Are you so foolish? Having begun in the
Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?
3:4Did you suffer so
many things in vain, if it is indeed in
vain? 3:5He therefore who supplies the Spirit to
you, and works miracles among you, does
he do it by the works of the law, or by
hearing of faith? 3:6Even as Abraham
"believed God, and it was counted to
him for righteousness." 3:7Know therefore that those who are of faith,
the same are children of Abraham. 3:8The Scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham,
saying, "In you all the nations will
be blessed." 3:9So then, those who are of faith are blessed
with the faithful Abraham. 3:10For as many as
are of the works of the law are under a
curse. For it is written, "Cursed is
everyone who doesn't continue in all things
that are written in the book of the law,
to do them." 3:11Now that no man
is justified by the law before God is evident,
for, "The righteous will live by faith."
3:12The law is not
of faith, but, "The man who does them
will live by them."
3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of
the law, having become a curse for us. For
it is written, "Cursed is everyone
who hangs on a tree," 3:14that the blessing
of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Christ Jesus; that we might receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith. 3:15Brothers, I speak like men. Though it
is only a man's covenant, yet when it has
been confirmed, no one makes it void, or
adds to it. 3:16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham
and to his seed. He doesn't say, "To
seeds," as of many, but as of one,
"To your seed," which is Christ.
3:17Now I say this. A covenant confirmed
beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which
came four hundred thirty years after, does
not annul, so as to make the promise of
no effect. 3:18For if the inheritance is of the law,
it is no more of promise; but God has granted
it to Abraham by promise.
3:19What then is the law? It was added because
of transgressions, until the seed should
come to whom the promise has been made.
It was ordained through angels by the hand
of a mediator. 3:20Now a mediator is not between one, but
God is one. 3:21Is the law then against the promises
of God? Certainly not! For if there had
been a law given which could make alive,
most assuredly righteousness would have
been of the law. 3:22But the Scriptures shut up all things
under sin, that the promise by faith in
Jesus Christ might be given to those who
believe. 3:23But before faith came, we were kept in
custody under the law, shut up to the faith
which should afterwards be revealed. 3:24So that the law has become our tutor
to bring us to Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. 3:25But now that faith has come, we are no
longer under a tutor. 3:26For you are all children of God, through
faith in Christ Jesus. 3:27For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. 3:28There is neither
Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor
free man, there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 3:29If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's
seed and heirs according to promise.
4:1But I say that so long as the heir is
a child, he is no different from a bondservant,
though he is lord of all; 4:2but is under guardians and stewards until
the day appointed by the father. 4:3So we also, when
we were children, were held in bondage under
the elements of the world. 4:4But when the fullness of the time came,
God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born
under the law, 4:5that he might redeem those who were under
the law, that we might receive the adoption
of children. 4:6And because you are children, God sent
out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, "Abba, Father!" 4:7So you are no longer
a bondservant, but a son; and if a son,
then an heir of God through Christ. 4:8However at that time, not knowing God,
you were in bondage to those who by nature
are not gods. 4:9But now that you have come to know God,
or rather to be known by God, why do you
turn back again to the weak and miserable
elements, to which you desire to be in bondage
all over again? 4:10You observe days, months, seasons, and
years. 4:11I am afraid for you, that I might have
wasted my labor for you. 4:12I beg you, brothers, become as I am,
for I also have become as you are. You did
me no wrong, 4:13but you know that because of weakness
of the flesh I preached the Gospel to you
the first time. 4:14That which was a temptation to you in
my flesh, you didn't despise nor reject;
but you received me as an angel of God,
even as Christ Jesus.
4:15What was the blessing you enjoyed? For
I testify to you that, if possible, you
would have plucked out your eyes and given
them to me. 4:16So then, have I
become your enemy by telling you the truth?
4:17They zealously
seek you in no good way. No, they desire
to alienate you, that you may seek them.
4:18But it is always good to be zealous in
a good cause, and not only when I am present
with you.
4:19My little children, of whom I am again
in travail until Christ is formed in you--
4:20but I could wish
to be present with you now, and to change
my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 4:21Tell me, you that desire to be under
the law, don't you listen to the law? 4:22For it is written
that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid,
and one by the free woman. 4:23However, the son by the handmaid was
born according to the flesh, but the son
by the free woman was born through promise.
4:24These things contain an allegory, for
these are two covenants. One is from Mount
Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which
is Hagar. 4:25For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia,
and answers to the Jerusalem that exists
now, for she is in bondage with her children.
4:26But the Jerusalem that is above is free,
which is the mother of us all. 4:27For it is written,
"Rejoice, you barren who don't
bear.
Break
forth and shout, you that don't travail.
For
more are the children of the desolate than
of her who has a husband."
4:28Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children
of promise. 4:29But as then, he who was born according
to the flesh persecuted him who was born
according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
4:30However what does the Scripture say?
"Throw out the handmaid and her son,
for the son of the handmaid will not inherit
with the son of the free woman." 4:31So then, brothers, we are not children
of a handmaid, but of the free woman.
5:1Stand firm therefore in the liberty by
which Christ has made us free, and don't
be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
5:2Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you
receive circumcision, Christ will profit
you nothing. 5:3Yes, I testify again to every man who
receives circumcision, that he is a debtor
to do the whole law. 5:4You are alienated from Christ, you who
desire to be justified by the law. You have
fallen away from grace. 5:5For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait
for the hope of righteousness. 5:6For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision amounts to anything,
nor uncircumcision, but faith working through
love. 5:7You were running well! Who interfered
with you that you should not obey the truth?
5:8This persuasion is not from him who calls
you. 5:9A little yeast grows through the whole
lump. 5:10I have confidence toward you in the Lord
that you will think no other way. But he
who troubles you will bear his judgment,
whoever he is.
5:11But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision,
why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling-block
of the cross has been removed. 5:12I wish that those who disturb you would
cut themselves off. 5:13For you, brothers, were called for freedom.
Only don't use your freedom for gain to
the flesh, but through love be servants
to one another. 5:14For the whole law
is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You
shall love your neighbor as yourself."
5:15But if you bite and devour one another,
be careful that you don't consume one another.
5:16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you
won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. 5:17For the flesh lusts
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh; and these are contrary to one
other, that you may not do the things that
you desire. 5:18But if you are led by the Spirit, you
are not under the law. 5:19Now the works of the flesh are obvious,
which are: adultery, sexual immorality,
uncleanness, lustfulness, 5:20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies,
outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions,
heresies, 5:21envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies,
and things like these; of which I forewarn
you, even as I also forewarned you, that
those who practice such things will not
inherit the Kingdom of God.
5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 5:23gentleness, and self-control. Against
such things there is no law. 5:24Those who belong
to Christ have crucified the flesh with
its passions and lusts. 5:25If we live by the Spirit, let's also
walk by the Spirit. 5:26Let's not become conceited, provoking
one another, and envying one another.
6:1Brothers, even if a man is caught in some
fault, you who are spiritual must restore
such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking
to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.
6:2Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill
the law of Christ. 6:3For if a man thinks himself to be something
when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
6:4But let each man
test his own work, and then he will take
pride in himself and not in his neighbor.
6:5For each man will bear his own burden.
6:6But let him who is taught in the word
share all good things with him who teaches.
6:7Don't be deceived.
God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows,
that will he also reap. 6:8For he who sows to his own flesh will
from the flesh reap corruption. But he who
sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit
reap eternal life. 6:9Let us not be weary
in doing good, for we will reap in due season,
if we don't give up. 6:10So then, as we have opportunity, let's
do what is good toward all men, and especially
toward those who are of the household of
the faith.
6:11See with what large letters I write to
you with my own hand. 6:12As many as desire to look good in the
flesh, they compel you to be circumcised;
only that they may not be persecuted for
the cross of Christ. 6:13For even they who
receive circumcision don't keep the law
themselves, but they desire to have you
circumcised, that they may boast in your
flesh. 6:14But far be it from 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. 6:15For in Christ Jesus
neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creation. 6:16As many as walk by this rule, peace and
mercy be on them, and on God's Israel. 6:17From now on, let
no one cause me any trouble, for I bear
the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my
body.
6:18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Notes:
[1] back
to 1:2 The word for "brothers"
here and where context allows may also be
correctly translated "brothers and
sisters" or "siblings."
[2] back
to 4:6 Abba is a Greek spelling for
the Chaldee word for "Father"
or "Daddy" used in a familiar,
respectful, and loving way.
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