Paul, an apostle sent not from men or by any man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead --

and all the brothers who are here with me -- to the churches of Galatia:

and from our Lord Jesus Christ: who gave himself for our sins,

who gave Himself for our sins, to save us from the present wicked world in accordance with the will of our God and Father;

to whom be praise for ever and ever Amen.

I am astonished that you are beginning so soon to turn away from Him who called you by the favor of Christ, to a different good news,

which is not really another one; only there are certain people who are trying to unsettle you and want to turn the good news of Christ upside down.

But when God, who had already set me apart from my birth, and had called me by His unmerited favor,

and before I went up to Jerusalem to see those who had been apostles before me, I retired to Arabia, and afterwards returned to Damascus.

and only they were hearing, that 'he who is persecuting us then, doth now proclaim good news -- the faith that then he was wasting;'

And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain.

But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

they did not try it even for the sake of the false brothers who had been smuggled in, who stole in to spy out the freedom we enjoy in Christ Jesus, so as to make us slaves again.

To whom we gave no room - no, not for the space of a hour - as concerning to be brought into subjection: and that because that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

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 on the contrary seeing that I was intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as Peter was of the circumcision,??8 for he that operated in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcision, operated also in me for the gentiles,??9 and knowing the grace given me, James and Cephas and John, who were manifest pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcision;

for He who had been at work in Peter for his apostleship to the Jews had been at work in me too for the apostleship to the heathen --

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

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 walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all,---If thou, who art a Jew, livest sometimes after the manner of the gentiles, and not like the Jews, why dost thou now in a manner compel the gentiles to judaize?

We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

but who know that a man is not made upright by doing what the Law commands, but by faith in Christ Jesus??ven we believed in Christ Jesus, so as to be made upright by faith in Christ and not by doing what the Law commands??or by doing what the Law commands no one can be made upright.

But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!

But if I build up again those things I once destroyed, I demonstrate that I am one who breaks God's law.

I have been crucified with Christ, and I myself no longer live, but Christ is living in me; the life I now live as a mortal man I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

O foolish Galatians: who hath bewitched you, that ye should not believe the truth, to whom Jesus Christ was described before the eyes, and among you crucified?

He, therefore, who is supplying to you the Spirit, and working mighty acts among you -- by works of law or by the hearing of faith is it?

[An example of this is] Abraham, who believed God's [promise] and [because of such faith] he was considered right with God.

So you see, it is the men of faith who are the real descendants of Abraham.

Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the one who believed.

For those who depend on what the law commands are under a curse, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who does not continue in all the commands that are written in the book of the law, to do them."

Now [it is] clear that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law, because "the one who is righteous will live by faith."

and the law has nothing to do with faith, but it says, "It is the man who does these things that will live by doing them."

Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -- for the Scripture says, "Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree" --

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. It doesn't say "descendants," referring to many, but "your descendant," referring to one person, who is the Messiah.

Then what about the law? It was added later on to increase transgressions, until the descendant to whom the promise was made should come, enacted through the agency of angels in the person of an intermediary.

But the Scripture pictures all mankind as prisoners of sin, so that the promised blessing through faith in Christ might be given to those who have faith.

For all of you who have been baptized into union with Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

But as long as the person who has an inheritance coming to him is a child, he is really no better off than a slave, even though he himself is [rightfully] entitled [to the inheritance].

But, when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, who came to be of a woman, who came to be under law, -

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

And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls "Abba! Father!"

But at that time when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.

These people who have been instructing you are devoted to you, but not in a good way. They want you to avoid me so that you will be devoted to them.

My little children - of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be fashioned in you -

Tell me, you who want to be subject to law, will you not listen to what the law says?

But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

which [things] are spoken allegorically, for these [women] are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing [children] for slavery, who is Hagar.

(for the word Hagar stands for Mt. Sinai in Arabia and represents the present Jerusalem who with her children is in bondage.)

but the heavenly Jerusalem is represented by the free-woman, who is the mother of us all.

For the Scripture says: "Rejoice, you childless woman, who never bore a child; break forth into shouting, you who feel no birth pangs; for the desolate woman has many children, even more than the married one."

Now we, brothers, who correspond to Isaac, are children of promise.

but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;

So, brothers, we are children not of a slave but of one who is free.

Remember that it is I Paul who tell you that if you receive circumcision Christ will avail you nothing.

Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire Law.

You people, whoever you are among you, who try to get into right standing with God, through law have cut yourselves off from Christ, you have missed the way of God's favor.

Ye did run well. Who was a let unto you, that ye should not obey the truth?

Such persuasion never came from Him who called you.

By our union with the Lord I have confidence in you that you will take no other view of the matter. The man who is unsettling you will certainly pay the penalty for it, no matter who it turns out to be.

But, brothers, if I were still preaching [that a person had] to be circumcised, why am I being persecuted? [Note: Paul's argument seems to be "I must not be preaching circumcision since I am being persecuted by those who believe in it"]. [If I preached that a person had to be circumcised] then my preaching that Christ died on the cross would not be such an offense [to those who believe in it].

I almost wish that these men who are upsetting you would go all the way, and have themselves mutilated.

envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I now warn you, as I have done before, that those who practice such things shall not be heirs of the kingdom of God.

gentleness, self-control: ??there is no law against those who practise such things.

And those who belong to Jesus the Christ have crucified the lower nature with its passions and evil cravings.

Brothers, if anybody is caught in the very act of doing wrong, you who are spiritual, in the spirit of gentleness, must set him right; each of you continuing to think of yourself, for you may be tempted too.

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

Those who are taught the truth should share all their goods with the man who teaches them.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.

The person who sows to gratify his lower nature will reap destruction from that lower nature, and the person who sows to gratify his higher nature will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

These men who are trying to force you to let yourselves be circumcised simply want to make a fine outward show, only to keep you from being persecuted for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Indeed, the very men who let themselves be circumcised do not themselves observe the law. But they simply want you to let yourselves be circumcised, so that they can boast of you as members of their party.

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Now peace and mercy be on all who walk by this rule; that is, on the true Israel of God.