From Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor by human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead)

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

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel --

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

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!

For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.

But I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in 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.

yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I do not set aside God's grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

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

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree")

in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say, "and to the descendants," referring to many, but "and to your descendant," referring to one, who is Christ.

But the scripture imprisoned everything and everyone under sin so that the promise could be given -- because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ -- to those who believe.

Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith.

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female -- for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise.

and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, as though I were Christ Jesus himself!

My children -- I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you!

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

Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!

You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight -- the only thing that matters is faith working through love.

Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

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.

But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.