who gave Himself to suffer for our sins in order to rescue us from the present wicked age in accordance with the will of our God and Father.

For other "Good News" there is none; but there are some persons who are troubling you, and are seeking to distort the Good News concerning Christ.

For is it man's favour or God's that I aspire to? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were still a man-pleaser, I should not be Christ's bondservant.

For I must tell you, brethren, that the Good News which was proclaimed by me is not such as man approves of.

For, in fact, it was not from man that I received or learnt it, but by a revelation from Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my early career in Judaism--how I furiously persecuted the Church of God, and made havoc of it;

and how in devotion to Judaism I outstripped many men of my own age among my people, being far more zealous than they on behalf of the traditions of my forefathers.

Then, three years later, I went up to Jerusalem to inquire for Peter, and I spent a fortnight with him.

But not for an hour did we give way and submit to them; in order that the Good News might continue with you in its integrity.

for He who had been at work within Peter with a view to his Apostleship to the Jews had also been at work within me with a view to my Apostleship to the Gentiles--

For until certain persons came from James he had been accustomed to eat with Gentiles; but as soon as these persons came, he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Circumcision party.

know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt.

for it is by the Law that I have died to the Law, in order that I may live to God.

I do not nullify the grace of God; for if acquittal from guilt is obtainable through the Law, then Christ has died in vain."

And the Scripture, foreseeing that in consequence of faith God would declare the nations to be free from guilt, sent beforehand the Good News to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

All who are depending upon their own obedience to the Law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who does not remain faithful to all the precepts of the Law, and practise them."

Christ has purchased our freedom from the curse of the Law by becoming accursed for us--because "Cursed is every one who is hanged upon a tree."

I mean that the Covenant which God had already formally made is not abrogated by the Law which was given four hundred and thirty years later--so as to annul the promise.

For if the inheritance comes through obedience to Law, it no longer comes because of a promise. But, as a matter of fact, God has granted it to Abraham in fulfilment of a promise.

Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.

God, however, is only one. Is the Law then opposed to the promises of God? No, indeed; for if a Law had been given which could have conferred Life, righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.

Before this faith came, we Jews were perpetual prisoners under the Law, living under restraints and limitations in preparation for the faith which was soon to be revealed.

So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt.

for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.

In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Brethren, become as I am, I beseech you; for I have also become like you. In no respect did you behave badly to me.

I ask you, then, what has become of your self-congratulations? For I bear you witness that had it been possible you would have torn out your own eyes and have given them to me.

you for whom I am again, as it were, undergoing the pains of childbirth, until Christ is fully formed within you.

Would that I were with you and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-girl and one by the free woman.

But we see that the child of the slave-girl was born in the common course of nature; but the child of the free woman in fulfilment of the promise.

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

This is Hagar; for the name Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, which is in bondage together with her children.

But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and *she* is *our* mother.

For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren woman that bearest not, break forth into a joyful cry, thou that dost not travail with child. For the desolate woman has many children--more indeed than she who has the husband."

But what says the Scripture? "Send away the slave-girl and her son, for never shall the slave-girl's son share the inheritance with the son of the free woman."

Therefore, brethren, since we are not the children of a slave-girl, but of the free woman--

Christ having made us gloriously free--stand fast and do not again be hampered with the yoke of slavery.

*We* have not, for through the Spirit we wait with longing hope for an acceptance with God which is to come through faith.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any importance; but only faith working through love.

For my part I have strong confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt my view of the matter. But the man--be he who he may--who is troubling you, will have to bear the full weight of the judgement to be pronounced on him.

As for me, brethren, if I am still a preacher of circumcision, how is it that I am still suffering persecution? In that case the Cross has ceased to be a stumbling-block!

You however, brethren, were called to freedom. Only do not turn your freedom into an excuse for giving way to your lower natures; but become bondservants to one another in a spirit of love.

For the entire Law has been obeyed when you have kept the single precept, which says, "You are to love your fellow man equally with yourself."

For the cravings of the lower nature are opposed to those of the Spirit, and the cravings of the Spirit are opposed to those of the lower nature; because these are antagonistic to each other, so that you cannot do everything to which you are inclined.

For if there is any one who thinks himself to be somebody when he is nobody, he is deluding himself.

For every man will have to carry his own load.

Do not deceive yourselves. God is not to be scoffed at. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Let us not abate our courage in doing what is right; for in due time we shall reap a reward, if we do not faint.

So then, as we have opportunity, let us labour for the good of all, and especially of those who belong to the household of the faith.

All who desire to display their zeal for external observances try to compel you to receive circumcision, but their real object is simply to escape being persecuted for the Cross of Christ.

For these very men do not really keep the Law of Moses, but they would have you receive circumcision in order that they may glory in *your* bodies.

But as for me, God forbid that I should glory in anything except the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon which the world is crucified to me, and I am crucified to the world.

For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any importance; but only a renewed nature.

From this time onward let no one trouble me; for, as for me, I bear, branded on my body, the scars of Jesus as my Master.