For I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin.

For I did not receive it from a man, nor was I taught it, but it was revealed to me by Jesus the Messiah.

For you have heard about my earlier life in Judaism how I kept violently persecuting God's church and was trying to destroy it.

I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries, because I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

But when God, who set me apart before I was born and who called me by his grace, was pleased

The only thing they kept hearing was this: "The man who used to persecute us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy!"

I went in response to a revelation, and in a private meeting with the reputed leaders, I explained to them the gospel that I'm proclaiming to the gentiles. I did this because I was afraid that I was running or had run my life's race for nothing.

But not even Titus, who was with me, was forced to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

The only thing they asked us to do was to remember the destitute, the very thing I was eager to do.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly wrong.

Until some men arrived from James, he was in the habit of eating with the gentiles, but after those men came, he withdrew from the gentiles and would not associate with them any longer, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.

The other Jews also joined him in this hypocritical behavior, to the extent that even Barnabas was caught up in their hypocrisy.

You foolish Galatians! Who put you under a spell? Was not Jesus the Messiah clearly portrayed before your very eyes as having been crucified?

Did you suffer so much for nothing? (If it really was for nothing!)

In the same way, Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

This is what I mean: The Law that came 430 years later did not cancel the covenant that God ratified previously. The promise was never nullified.

For if the inheritance comes about through the Law, it no longer comes about through the promise. But it was through a promise that God so graciously gave it to Abraham.

Why, then, was the Law added? Because of transgressions, until the descendant came about whom the promise pertained. It was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator.

But the Scripture has captured everything by means of sin's net, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of the Messiah might be granted to those who believe.

Now before faith came about, we were held in custody and confined under the Law in preparation for the faith that was to be revealed.

And so the Law was our guardian until the Messiah came, so that we might be justified by faith.

It was the same way with us. While we were children, we were slaves to the basic principles of the world.

You know that it was because I was ill that I brought you the gospel the first time.

Now the slave woman's son was conceived through human means, while the free woman's son was conceived through divine promise.

But just as then the son who was conceived according to the flesh persecuted the son who was conceived according to the Spirit, so it is now.