Paul, an apostle sent not from men or by any man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead --

spiritual blessing and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave Himself for our sins, to save us from the present wicked world in accordance with the will of our God and Father;

I am astonished that you are beginning so soon to turn away from Him who called you by the favor of Christ, to a different good news,

But even if I or an angel from heaven preach a good news that is contrary to the one which I have already preached to you, a curse upon him!

for I did not get it from any man; I was not taught it, but I got it through a revelation given by Jesus Christ.

But when God, who had already set me apart from my birth, and had called me by His unmerited favor,

For before the coming of certain people from James, he was in the habit of eating with heathen Christians, but after they came, he began to draw back and hold aloof from them, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.

Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" --

These men are paying you special attention, but not sincerely. They want to shut you off from me, so that you may keep on paying them special attention.

This is spoken as an allegory. For these women are two covenants, one coming from Mount Sinai, bearing children that are to be slaves;

You people, whoever you are among you, who try to get into right standing with God, through law have cut yourselves off from Christ, you have missed the way of God's favor.

You were running beautifully! Who was it that cut into your way and kept you from obeying the truth?

Such persuasion never came from Him who called you.

The person who sows to gratify his lower nature will reap destruction from that lower nature, and the person who sows to gratify his higher nature will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised simply want to make a fine outward show, only to keep you from being persecuted for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.