For am I, even now, persuading, men, or God? Or am I seeking to please, men? If I had been still pleasing, men, Christ's servant, had I not been!

no man put it into my hands, no man taught me what it meant, I had it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.

and how I surpassed many of my own age among my people in my devotion to Judaism, I was so fanatically devoted to what my forefathers had handed down.

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

and had called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach his gospel among the Gentiles, without consulting a human being,

and before I went up to Jerusalem to see those who had been apostles before me, I retired to Arabia, and afterwards returned to Damascus.

And the churches of Judaea which were in Christ still had no knowledge of my face or person:

But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

So they kept glorifying God for what had happened to me.

Yea, and I went up by revelation, and commended with them of the gospel, which I preach among the gentiles - but between ourselves with them which were counted chief, lest it should have been thought that I should run, or had run in vain.

But [all went well, for] not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled [as some had anticipated] to be circumcised, despite the fact that he was a Greek.

they did not try it even for the sake of the false brothers who had been smuggled in, who stole in to spy out the freedom we enjoy in Christ Jesus, so as to make us slaves again.

But those in authority??hat they once were makes no difference to me; God is no respecter of persons??hose I say who were in authority had no additions to make my message.

On the contrary, because they saw that I had been entrusted with the good news for the heathen, just as Peter had been entrusted with it for the Jews --

for He who had been at work in Peter for his apostleship to the Jews had been at work in me too for the apostleship to the heathen --

and because they recognized the favor God had shown me, James, Cephas, and John, the so-called pillar apostles, gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the heathen and they to the Jews.

Only that we should remember, the destitute, - as to which I had given diligence, this very thing, to do.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.

Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.

Being conscious that a man does not get righteousness by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we had faith in Christ Jesus, so that we might get righteousness by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law will no flesh get righteousness.

Why, if I am now rebuilding that structure of sin which I had demolished, I am thereby constituting myself a transgressor;

You senseless Galatians! Who has bewitched you, when you had Jesus Christ shown crucified right before your eyes?

Have you had all that experience for nothing (if it has really gone for nothing)?

Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.

So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.

So that on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; in order that we through faith might have the Spirit which God had undertaken to give.

I mean this: The law which was given four hundred and thirty years later could not annul the contract which had already been ratified by God, so as to cancel the promise.

Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Is the law, then, against the promise of God? God forbid. Howbeit, if there had been a law given which could have given life: then no doubt righteousness should have come by the law.

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

(for all of you who had yourselves baptized into Christ have taken on the character of Christ).

but when the proper time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to law,

But once, when you Gentiles had no knowledge of God, you were slaves to gods which have no real being.

But you are aware [I am sure] that when I first came preaching the Gospel [message] to you, I had a physical handicap.

And as for what must have tried you in my condition, it did not inspire you with scorn or disgust, but you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God--or Christ Jesus himself!

How happy were ye then? For I bear you record that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

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

But, he that was of the bondmaid, after the flesh, had been born, whereas, he that was of the free woman, through means of a promise.

for it is written, Rejoice, barren woman, that did not bear, break forth and cry, woman that had no pain, for the children of the desolate are more numerous than those of her who had a husband.

But, just as, then, he that after the manner of the flesh had been born, did persecute him who had been born after the manner of the Spirit, thus, also now.

This ready belief did not come from him who had made you his.

Brethren, if I yet preach circumcision: why do I then yet suffer persecution? For then had the offense which the cross giveth, ceased.

envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

But the last thing I want to do is brag [about such things]. For [if I had any bragging to do at all], it would be about [salvation through] the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is through Him that this [sinful] world has been crucified [i.e., died] as far as I am concerned and I have been crucified [i.e., died] as far as it is concerned.