For do I now use persuasions from men, or from God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how furiously I used to persecute the church of God, and how I kept seeking to root it out;

only they used to hear it said, "He who was once persecuting us is now preaching the gospel of the very faith which he once tried to ruin."

Besides, the so-called 'authorities' (it makes no difference to me what their status used to be ??God pays no regard to the externals of men), these 'authorities' had no additions to make to my gospel.

For until certain men came from James he used to eat with the Gentile Christians, but when they came, he began to draw back and to separate himself, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.

Brothers, I am going to use a human illustration: Even a human contract, once it has been ratified, no one can annul or change.

What, then, you ask, was the use of the Law? It was a later addition, to make men conscious of their wrong-doings, and intended to last only till the coming of that 'offspring' to whom the promise had been made; and it was delivered through angels by a mediator.

I wish I could be with you now, and use a different tone with you, for I do not know which way to turn about you.

but just as in old times the son born by the flesh used to persecute the son born by the power of the Spirit, so also it is now.

See, I Paul say to you, that if you undergo circumcision, Christ will be of no use 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.

Because you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to another.

Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean things, wrong use of the senses,

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,

See the size of the handwriting which I myself have made use of in writing to you.