Or even going up to Jerusalem to see those who were Apostles before me, I went to Arabia, and came back again to Damascus.

It was in obedience to a revelation that I went; and I laid before the Apostles the Good News that I am proclaiming among the Gentiles. I did this privately before those who are thought highly of, for fear that I might possibly be taking, or might have already taken, a course which would prove useless.

Of those who are thought somewhat highly of--what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not recognize human distinctions--those, I say, who are thought highly of added nothing to my Message.

Before certain persons came from James, he had been in the habit of eating with the Gentile converts; but, when they came, he began to withdraw and hold aloof, for fear of offending those who still held to circumcision.

You see, then, that those whose lives are based on faith are the Sons of Abraham.

And, therefore, those whose lives are based on faith share the blessings bestowed upon the faith of Abraham.

But the Law is not based on faith; no, its words are--'Those who practice these precepts will find Life through them.'

But the words of Scripture represent the whole world as being in bondage to sin, so that the promised blessing, dependent, as it is, upon faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who have faith in him.

To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.

Feelings of envy, drunkenness, revelry, and the like. And I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who indulge in such things will have no place in the Kingdom of God.

And those who belong to Jesus, the Christ, have already crucified their earthly nature, with its passions and its cravings.

Those who wish to appear to advantage in regard to outward observances are the very people who are trying to compel you to be circumcised; and they do it only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Jesus, the Christ.