who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father,

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

For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it.

I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

But we did not surrender to them even for a moment, in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

(for he who empowered Peter for his apostleship to the circumcised also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles)

For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God.

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!

Have you suffered so many things for nothing? -- if indeed it was for nothing.

For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law."

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")

What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to invalidate the promise.

For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave it to Abraham through the promise.

Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one.

Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

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.

I fear for you that my work for you may have been in vain.

Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!

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

However, it is good to be sought eagerly for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise.

These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.

Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains, because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband."

But what does the scripture say? "Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son" of the free woman.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.

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

For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness.

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

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

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

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

For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

For each one will carry his own load.

Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows,

So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.

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.

For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh.

For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation!

From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.