I wrote this very thing so that when I came I wouldn’t have pain from those who ought to give me joy, because I am confident about all of you that my joy will also be yours.

I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you.

We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent—and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.

We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do what we command.

Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

But

not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the good news about the Messiah.

This issue arose because of false brothers smuggled in, who came in secretly to spy on the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.

You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified?

They are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them.

Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who would compel you to be circumcised—but only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!”

Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, “Antichrist is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour.

Bear

I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!

turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

The punishment inflicted by the majority is sufficient for that person.

I beg you that when I am present I will not need to be bold with the confidence by which I plan to challenge certain people who think we are behaving in an unspiritual way.

This is why I am writing these things while absent, that when I am there I will not use severity, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Whosoever

Now from those recognized as important (what they really were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism

)—they added nothing to me.

From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way.

General references

Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.