Am I now trying to win men's favor, or God's? Or, am I trying to be pleasing to men? If I were still trying to be pleasing to men, I would not be a slave of Christ at all.

Those who were looked upon as leaders -- what they were makes no difference to me -- God pays no attention to outward appearances these leaders added nothing new to me.

But when I saw that they were not living up to the truth of the good news, I said to Cephas, and that before them all, "If you are living like a heathen and not like a Jew, although you are a Jew yourself, why do you try to make the heathen live like Jews?"

Now the promises were made to Abraham and his descendant. It does not say, "and to your descendants," in the plural, but in the singular, "and to your descendant," that is, Christ.

But before this faith came, we were kept locked up under the law, in preparation for the faith which was to be unveiled.

So when we were spiritually under age, we were slaves to the world's crude notions,

to ransom those who were subject to law, so that we might be adopted as sons.

But at that former time, as you did not know the true God, you were slaves to gods that do not really exist,

You were running beautifully! Who was it that cut into your way and kept you from obeying the truth?

For you, brothers, were called to freedom; only you must not let your freedom be an excuse for the gratification of your lower nature, but in love be slaves to one another.