For am I now making an appeal to people or [to] God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those [who were] apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia and I returned again to Damascus.

and they were only hearing, "The one formerly persecuting us is now proclaiming the faith that formerly he was attempting to destroy,"

and they were glorifying God because of me.

But from those {who were influential} (whatever they were, [it makes] no difference to me, {God does not show partiality})--for those who were influential added nothing to me.

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,

But when I saw that they were not being straightforward with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of [them] all, "If you, [although you] are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

Now to Abraham and to his descendant the promises were spoken. It does not say, "and to descendants," as concerning many, but as concerning one, "and to your descendant," who is Christ.

But before faith came, we were detained under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.

for as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

So also we, when we were children, we were enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world.

But at that time [when you] did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods.

You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom [become] an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.