Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

[It also comes from] all of the brothers who are with me [and is being sent] to the churches of Galatia [i.e., Iconium, Derbe, Lystra and Antioch of Pisidia].

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

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:

to whom be glory from age to age. Amen.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

as we have said before, and now say again, If any one to you may proclaim good news different from what ye did receive -- anathema let him be!

For do I now use persuasions from men, or from God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

For I would like to clarify for you, brothers, the situation regarding the Gospel that I have preached: It did not originate from man.

For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

And I went farther in the Jews' religion than a number of my generation among my countrymen, having a more burning interest in the beliefs handed down from my fathers.

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being,

I did not go up to Jerusalem to [discuss it with] those who had become apostles before me either; instead I went away into Arabia. [Note: This is probably when Paul received supernatural power from the Holy Spirit]. Then afterward, I returned to Damascus. [Note: This was in Syria where Paul was converted].

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and get information from him, and I stayed with him fifteen days.

But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man's person)-- they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel Gentiles to live like Jews?”

We [are] Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles,

know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt.

But if while we are seeking in Christ acquittal from guilt we ourselves are convicted of sin, Christ then encourages us to sin! No, indeed.

I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”

This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

He therefore furnishing you the Spirit, and working the powers in you, is it from the works of the law, or from the hearing of faith?

Ye know therefore that those from faith, these are sons of Abraham.

And the Scripture, foreseeing that in consequence of faith God would declare the nations to be free from guilt, sent beforehand the Good News to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

So then those from faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.

For all who seek to be right with God by trying to meet all the requirements of the law of Moses are under a curse [from God], because it is written [Deut. 27:26], "Every person is cursed [i.e., cut off from God] who does not continue to obey all of the requirements written in the law of Moses."

But that no man is made righteous by law before God, is evident, because, The righteous man will live from faith.

But the law is not from faith, but "the one who does these [things] will live by them."

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Brethren, even a covenant made by a man--to borrow an illustration from daily life--when once formally sanctioned is not liable to be set aside or added to.

For if the inheritance [is] from the law, [it is] no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave [it] to Abraham through the promise.

Therefore [is] the law opposed to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, certainly righteousness would have been from the law.

But the writing shut up all things under sin, that the promise from faith of Jesus Christ might be given to the believing.

So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt.

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Instead he is under stewards and managers until the time appointed from the father.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born from a woman, born under law,

so that He could buy back [from Satan] those who were [still] under [obligation to] the law of Moses, and that we could become adopted children.

Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now].

They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out from us, that ye may be zealous after them.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one from the servant girl, and one from the freewoman.

But in fact, the man from the servant girl was born according to flesh, but the man from the freewoman through promise.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all.

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

Notice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], Christ will be of no benefit to you [for you will lack the faith in Christ that is necessary for salvation].

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

For in [our relationship with] Christ neither the practice of circumcision nor refraining from its practice matters in any way; but [all that really matters is having a genuine] faith [in Christ] that causes us to work [for Him] out of a genuine love [for Him and others].

You were running [the race] well; who has interfered and prevented you from obeying the truth?

This [deceptive] persuasion is not from Him who called you [to freedom in Christ].

I would to God they were separated from you, which trouble you.

For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do.

For he that sows to his own flesh, shall reap corruption from the flesh; but he that sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit shall reap eternal life:

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised want to present a good appearance externally, to save themselves from having to stand persecution for the cross of Jesus the Christ.

But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

For it does not matter whether a person practices circumcision or refrains from practicing it; what really matters is [whether or not he is] a new creature [in the eyes of God].

To all those people who live by this rule, may there be peace and mercy [from God] in their lives; that is, upon [those people who are truly] God's "Israel" [i.e., the church].

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, Amen. {Unto the Galatians, Written from Rome}