who gave himself for our sins, so that he might rescue us, according to the will of our God and Father, out of the evil age that has come,

As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man is a preacher to you of any good news other than that which has been given to you, let there be a curse on him.

I certify to you, brethren, that the gospel, which has been preached by me, is not the result of human artifice:

For news has come to you of my way of life in the past in the Jews' religion, how I was cruel without measure to the church of God, and did great damage to it:

But from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be important gave nothing new to me;

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter has with the gospel for the circumcised

(for he who has equipped Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised, equipped me also for the apostleship to the Gentiles),

I am crucified with Christ, and no longer live, I, but Christ lives in me; but in that I now live in flesh, I live by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me.

I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness is by law, then Christ has died for nothing.

O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? You, before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was placarded as crucified!

Have you endured such sufferings to no purpose--if indeed it has been to no purpose?

Therefore, as God has provided you with the Holy Spirit and has produced miracles among you, [do you think He has done all this] as a result of your obeying the requirements of the law of Moses or as a result of hearing [and responding to the message of] the faith?

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it has been written, Cursed every one who remains not in all written in the book of the law to do them.

and the Law has nothing to do with faith, but declares, The man that has done these things shall live therein.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us (for it is written, Cursed is every one who is hanged upon a tree),

Our freedom has been thus purchased in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing belonging to Abraham may come upon the nations, so that through faith we may receive the promised Spirit.

Brothers, as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it.

I mean to say that the testament which God has already ratified could not be annulled by the Law which came four hundred and thirty years later, so as to make the Promise void.

For if the inheritance is from law, it is no longer from promise. But God has given it to Abraham through promise.

What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

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].

but the Scripture has shut up the whole world in prison together under sin, in order that the promise due to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who have faith.

So the Law has been our tutor-slave our pedagogue to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith;

But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

But as long as the person who has an inheritance coming to him is a child, he is really no better off than a slave, even though he himself is [rightfully] entitled [to the inheritance].

but he is under the control of guardians and trustees until the time his father has appointed.

And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.

But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?

I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.

What has become of that satisfaction of yours? For I can bear witness that you would have torn out your very eyes, if you could, and given them to me!

For it has been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondmaid, and one by the free.

Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God.

All this is allegorical; for the women represent two Covenants. One has its origin on Mount Sinai, and bears children destined for slavery.

For it is written, Rejoice, O thou barren one who dost never bear, Break forth in joy, thou that dost not travail; For the children of the desolate woman are many. Yea, more than hers who has a husband.

so then, my brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman, by virtue of that freedom which Christ has procur'd for us.

Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.

Christ has become nothing to any of you who are seeking acceptance with God through the Law: you have fallen away from grace.

because in Christ neither circumcision has any value, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works through love.

Ye ran well; who has stopped you that ye should not obey the truth?

But I, brothers, if I "still preach circumcision," why am I still persecuted? Then surely the stumbling-block of the Cross has ceased to be an obstacle!

For the whole Law has been fulfilled in this one precept, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; because these are opposite the one to the other; so that you may not do the things which you have a mind to do.

Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,

For if a man has an idea that he is something when he is nothing, he is tricked by himself.

Every man ought to test his own work, and then whatever satisfaction he has will be with reference to himself, and not in comparison with someone else.

But far be it from me to boast [in anything or anyone], except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

For neither circumcision nor the lack of it has any value, but only a new creation.