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 manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;

they only kept hearing, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the [good news of the] faith which he once was trying to destroy.”

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 before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, [because he] was afraid of those [who were] of the circumcision,

Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. Once an agreement has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it.

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.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one 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.