But if even we or an angel out of heaven announce as glad tidings to you anything besides what we have announced as glad tidings to you, let him be accursed.

As we have said before, now also again I say, If any one announce to you as glad tidings anything besides what ye have received, let him be accursed.

For am I seeking [to gain] the favor of men or of God? Or, am I striving to please people [by what I do]? If I were still [trying] to please people, I would not be a [true] servant of Christ.

no man put it into my hands, no man taught me what it meant, I had it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For ye have heard what was my conversation formerly in Judaism, that I excessively persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it;

and how I surpassed many of my own age among my people in my devotion to Judaism, I was so fanatically devoted to what my forefathers had handed down.

Now what I write to you, behold, before God, I do not lie.

And they were glorifying God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place and all that had been accomplished] in me.

I went up [to Jerusalem] because of a [divine] revelation, and I put before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so in private before those of reputation, for fear that I might be running or had run [the course of my ministry] in vain.

But from those who were of high reputation (whatever they were—in terms of individual importance—makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality—He is not impressed with the positions that people hold nor does He recognize distinctions such as fame or power)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me [that is, they had nothing to add to my gospel message nor did they impose any new requirements on me].

For, before certain [leaders] came from James [i.e., Jesus' brother, a leader of the Jerusalem church, See Acts 12:17; 15:13-22], he had eaten [a social meal] with some Gentiles. But when these men came, he abruptly discontinued this practice out of fear of the circumcised ones [i.e., out of concern for what the Jews would think of him].

yet we know that a person is not justified by doing what the Law requires, but rather by the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. We, too, have believed in the Messiah Jesus so that we might be justified by the faithfulness of the Messiah and not by doing what the Law requires, for no human being will be justified by doing what the Law requires.

For if I [or anyone else should] rebuild [through word or by practice] what I once tore down [the belief that observing the Law is essential for salvation], I prove myself to be a transgressor.

I am crucified with Christ: and I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in we: and what I now live in the flesh I live in the faith of the Son of God, having loved me, and given himself for me.

I do not misapply God's grace, for if righteousness comes about by doing what the Law requires, then the Messiah died for nothing.

O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross?

I want to learn only one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the actions of the Law or by believing what you heard?

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to reach perfection through what is external?

So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?

For those who depend on what the law commands are under a curse, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all the commands that are written in the book of the law, to do them."

Brethren, I speak according to what is practised among men; no one sets aside even a human covenant, or makes additions to it, after it has been ratified.

This is what I mean: The Law that came 430 years later did not cancel the covenant that God ratified previously. The promise was never nullified.

What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

But the Scripture has captured everything by means of sin's net, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of the Messiah might be granted to those who believe.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are [truly] Abraham's seed [i.e., his spiritual descendants] and thereby [you will] inherit what was promised to him [i.e., God's blessings].

Now what I mean [when I talk about children and their guardians] is this: as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave even though he is the [future owner and] master of all [the estate];

So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir because of what God did.

It is not you that have done me any injury: tho' you knew through what infirmity of the flesh I heretofore preached the gospel to you,

And you did not despise or disdain [what was] a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus.

What then was your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given them to me.

These men [the Judaizers] eagerly seek you [to entrap you with honeyed words and attention, to win you over to their philosophy], not honorably [for their purpose is not honorable or worthy of consideration]. They want to isolate you [from us who oppose them] so that you will seek them.

But it is right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you --

I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?

Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

Here is what I am saying to you: If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ can do you no good.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.

You were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is true?

This then is what I mean. Let your lives be guided by the Spirit, and then you will certainly not indulge the cravings of your lower natures.

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.

But, if you are led by [what] the Holy Spirit [wants you to do], you are not under [obligation to meet the requirements of] the law of Moses.

Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,

But what the Spirit produces is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].

but let each prove his own work, and then he will have his boast in what belongs to himself alone, and not in what belongs to another.

But the person who is taught the word [of God] should provide his teacher with what he needs.

Be not led astray; God is not mocked; for what a man may sow -- that also he shall reap,

Let us not abate our courage in doing what is right; for in due time we shall reap a reward, if we do not faint.

So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

For both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation.