Paul an apostle (not from men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the father who raised him from the dead) and all the brethren,

who are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: grace be to you, and peace from God the father,

whom be glory for ever and ever. amen. I wonder you have so soon deserted unto another gospel,

from me, who called you by the grace of Christ; this can be

owing to nothing but your being practised upon by some, who would overturn the gospel of Christ.

but tho' I, or an angel from heaven should preach any thing to you for gospel, different from the gospel I have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

as I said before, so say I now again, if any one preach any other thing to you for gospel, than what you have received, let him be accursed.

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

for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

but when it pleased God, who ordained me from my birth, and called me by his especial favour, to reveal his son to me,

and I went up according to revelation, and communicated to them that gospel, which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately to those who were of note, lest the pains, that I have already taken, or may hereafter take in the gospel, should be in vain.

however, Titus who was then with me, being a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised:

and as to the false brethren, who insidiously crept in to spy out our liberty which we have by Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into servitude;

I did not show them the lest compliance by way of submission, that the doctrine of the gospel might remain among you.

Peter, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, perceived the favour that was bestowed on me, they admitted me and Barnabas into fellowship, and agreed, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.

But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, for he was to be blamed.

We are Jews by birth, and not of the sinful race of the Gentiles,

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification.

Now if it be a sin to seek for justification by Christ, then is Christ the minister of sin, which cannot be.

for by one law, I am dead to the other law, that I might live unto God:

I am crucified with Christ, it is not I that now live, but Christ that liveth in me; the life I have in this body I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if justification be by the law, Christ died to no purpose.

this one thing I desire to know of you, did you receive the spirit by the works of the law, or by the gospel preach'd to you?

if it be in vain. he therefore that ministreth the spirit to you, and worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the law, or by the preaching of faith?

and the scripture insinuating, that God would justify the Gentiles thro' faith, gave Abraham an intimation of the gospel in these words, " in thee shall all nations be blessed."

but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, " the just shall live by faith."

now the law does not justify by FAITH, but says, "he that DOES these things shall live by them."

that the blessing promised to Abraham might come on the Gentiles thro' Jesus Christ; that we by believing might receive the spirit that was promised.

Brethren, I speak according to the practice of men; contracts between men, when once ratified, cannot be disannulled or altered afterwards by any man.

this therefore I say, that the law, which was not till four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul the promise, that was ratified before by God, so as to set the promise afoot.

now if the right to the inheritance be from the law, it is no longer founded upon the promise; altho' God made a donation of it to Abraham by promise.

"To what purpose then was the law?" it was added as a check to transgressors, till the offspring should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels with the intervention of a mediator.

Is the law then opposite to the promises? by no means. for if there had been a law given, which could have given life, certainly justification should have been by the law.

but the scripture has declar'd all guilty of sin, that the blessing promised on condition of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

but before faith came, we were shut up together as prisoners under the custody of the law, 'till faith was to be revealed.

so that the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

for you are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

and if you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's offspring, and his heirs by virtue of the promise.

Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, is in a state of servitude, tho' he is to be lord of all;

being under tutors and guardians, 'till the time prefix'd by his father.

or rather that you are favoured by him, how can ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the law, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

you make me apprehensive, that the labour I have bestowed upon you will be all in vain.

I beseech you, brethren, be as I am, for I was as you are.

my dear children, how am I in pain, till Christ be formed in you?

I wish I could be present this very moment with you, and suit my discourse accordingly, for I stand in doubt what to think of you.

But tell me, you that are so willing to be under the law, why don't you consider the law?

for it is there written, Abraham had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman.

he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise.

these things have an allegorical meaning: the two women signify the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, which is represented by Agar, whose children were born in a state of servitude.

but the heavenly Jerusalem is represented by the free-woman, who is the mother of us all.

but as then, he that was born in the ordinary course of nature, persecuted him, who was born by an extraordinary power; even so it is now.

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.

Stand fast therefore, and be not hampered again with the yoke of bondage.

take notice, 'tis I Paul declare it to you, that if you are circumcised, Christ shall be of no advantage to you.

Christ is of no use to you, whoever of you seek to be justified by the law; you have lost all interest in the gospel-dispensation.

but as for us, our minds are possessed with the hopes of justification by faith.

I have confidence in you, that, through the Lord, you will be of the same mind with me, so that he who troubles you shall fall under the censure he deserves, whoever he be.

as for me, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? for then there would not be so much objection to the doctrine of the cross.

for, brethren, you have been called to liberty. only abuse not this freedom as a pretext to vice, but in offices of love be as servants one to another.

but if you bite and tear one another, take heed that you be not consumed by one another.

I say then, conduct yourselves by the spirit, and you will not then gratify the animal passions.

but if you are governed by the spirit, you are not subject to the law.

if we live by the spirit, let us regulate our actions by the spirit:

let us not be vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, do you, who are spiritual, restore him with all gentleness, taking heed lest you yourselves be overcome by temptation.

for if a man thinks himself to be considerable, when he is not, he deceives himself.

for every man must be answerable for his own actions.

be not deceived, God will not be mocked: for what a man soweth, that shall he also reap:

let us then not be weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we be not tired.

they who desire to make a figure in the world, constrain you to be circumcised, only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

but far be it from me that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is as contemptible to me, as I am to the world.

as many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, even upon the Israel of God.

Brethren, the favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. amen.