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)

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!

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.

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

to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being,

I assure you that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you!

I went there because of a revelation and presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so only in a private meeting with the influential people, to make sure that I was not running -- or had not run -- in vain.

Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.

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

But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, "If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

We are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners,

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 do not set aside God's grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died 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."

But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them.

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.

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.

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.

Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all.

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!

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

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law?

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.

This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you!

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.

However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

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!

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.

Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.

Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else.

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.

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.