And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours.

I rejoice because in everything I am fully confident in you.

And we are sending with them our brother whom we have tested many times and found eager in many matters, but who now is much more eager than ever because of the great confidence he has in you.

And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing -- and will do -- what we are commanding.

Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than what I am asking you to do.

But

not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ.

Now this matter arose because of the false brothers with false pretenses who slipped in unnoticed to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves.

You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified!

They court you eagerly, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly.

Those who want to make a good showing in external matters are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Now some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour.

Bear

I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves!

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

This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him,

now I ask that when I am present I may not have to be bold with the confidence that (I expect) I will dare to use against some who consider us to be behaving according to human standards.

Because of this I am writing these things while absent, so that when I arrive I may not have to deal harshly with you by using my authority -- the Lord gave it to me for building up, not for tearing down!

Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Whosoever

But from those who were influential (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people) -- those influential leaders added nothing to my message.

So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.

General references

Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than what I am asking you to do.