from me, who called you by the grace of Christ; this can be

But when I saw that they were not being straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas (Peter) in front of everyone, “If you, being a Jew, live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how is it that you are [now virtually] forcing the Gentiles to live like Jews [if they want to eat with you]?”

yet we know that a man is not justified [and placed in right standing with God] by works of the Law, but [only] through faith in [God’s beloved Son,] Christ Jesus. And even we [as Jews] have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law. By observing the Law no one will ever be justified [declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty].

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are also found sinners, is Christ, there fore, the minister of sin? It can not be.

I never can nullify the unmerited favor of God. For if right standing with God could come through law, then Christ died for nothing.

Are you so foolish [as to believe that after] having begun [your Christian lives] through [the power of] the Holy Spirit, you can [now] become complete by [living according to your human strength]?

It is evident, too, that no one can find acceptance with God simply by obeying the Law, because "the righteous shall live by faith,"

Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. Once an agreement has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it.

For if the inheritance [of never ending life] can be obtained by [obeying the requirements of] the law of Moses, it would not come from the promise [of God]; but God provided [this inheritance] for Abraham according to [His] promise.

Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].

Is the law, then, against the promises of God? It can not be. For if a law had been given which could have given life, surely righteousness would have been by law.

There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.

Now, however, since you have come to know [the true] God [through personal experience], or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elemental principles [of religions and philosophies], to which you want to be enslaved all over again?

Now where are those good feelings you had for me? For I can [honestly] testify that [at one time] you would have even gouged out your eyes and given them to me [for sight] if that had been possible.

Can it be that I have become your enemy through speaking the truth to you?

Now it is fine for you to be made much of honestly and all the time ??not simply when I can be with you.

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].

A little bit of yeast permeates the whole batch of dough [i.e., a few people can influence everyone else to do the wrong thing in this matter].

For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, "You must love your neighbor as yourself."

For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the desire of the Spirit is against flesh; and these are opposed, the one to the other, so that you can not do what you would.

gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another.

Why, not even those who are circumcised obey the Law! They simply want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your external appearance.