To the churches in Galatia, from Paul, an Apostle whose commission is not from men and is given, not by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead;

To whom be ascribed all glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I am astonished at your so soon deserting him, who called you through the love of Christ, for a different 'Good News,'

Which is really no Good News at all. But then, I know that there are people who are harassing you, and who want to pervert the Good News of the Christ.

But when God, who had set me apart even before my birth, and who called me by his love,

Or even going up to Jerusalem to see those who were Apostles before me, I went to Arabia, and came back again to Damascus.

All that they had heard was--'The man who once persecuted us is now telling the Good News of the very Faith of which he once made havoc.'

It was in obedience to a revelation that I went; and I laid before the Apostles the Good News that I am proclaiming among the Gentiles. I did this privately before those who are thought highly of, for fear that I might possibly be taking, or might have already taken, a course which would prove useless.

But, on account of the false Brothers who had stolen in, the men who had crept in to spy upon the liberty which we have through union with Christ Jesus, in order to bring us back to slavery--

Of those who are thought somewhat highly of--what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not recognize human distinctions--those, I say, who are thought highly of added nothing to my Message.

For he who gave Peter power for his mission to the Jews gave me, also, power to go to the Gentiles.

Recognizing the charge entrusted to me, James, Peter, and John, who were regarded as pillars of the Church, openly acknowledged Barnabas and me as fellow-workers, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.

Before certain persons came from James, he had been in the habit of eating with the Gentile converts; but, when they came, he began to withdraw and hold aloof, for fear of offending those who still held to circumcision.

But, when I saw that they were not dealing straightforwardly with the Truth of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, who were born a Jew, adopt Gentile customs, instead of Jewish, why are you trying to compel the Gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs?"

I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Foolish Galatians! Who has been fascinating you--you before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was depicted upon the cross?

He who supplies you abundantly with his Spirit and endows you with such powers--does he do this as the result of obedience to Law? or as the result of your having listened with faith?

All who rely upon obedience to Law are under a curse, for Scripture says--'Cursed is every one who does not abide by all that is written in the Book of the Law, and do it.'

But the Law is not based on faith; no, its words are--'Those who practice these precepts will find Life through them.'

Christ ransomed us from the curse pronounced in the Law, by taking the curse on himself for us, for Scripture says--'Cursed is any one who is hanged on a tree.'

What, then, you ask, was the use of the Law? It was a later addition, to make men conscious of their wrong-doings, and intended to last only till the coming of that 'offspring' to whom the promise had been made; and it was delivered through angels by a mediator.

But the words of Scripture represent the whole world as being in bondage to sin, so that the promised blessing, dependent, as it is, upon faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who have faith in him.

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

To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.

You for whom I am again enduring a mother's pains, till a likeness to Christ shall have been formed in you.

Tell me, you who want to be still subject to Law--Why do not you listen to the Law?

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother.

For Scripture says--'Rejoice, thou barren one, who dost never bear, Break into shouts, thou who art never in labor, For many are the children of her who is desolate--aye, more than of her who has a husband.'

And so, Brothers, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.

I again declare to every one who receives circumcision, that he binds himself to obey the whole Law.

You have severed yourselves from Christ--you who are seeking to be pronounced righteous through Law; you have fallen away from love.

You were once making good progress! Who has hindered you from obeying the Truth?

The persuasion brought to bear on you does not come from him who calls you.

I, through my union with the Lord, am persuaded that you will learn to think with me. But the man who is disturbing your minds will have to bear his punishment, whoever he may be.

I could even wish that the people who are unsettling you would go further still and mutilate themselves.

Feelings of envy, drunkenness, revelry, and the like. And I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who indulge in such things will have no place in the Kingdom of God.

And those who belong to Jesus, the Christ, have already crucified their earthly nature, with its passions and its cravings.

Brothers, even if a man should be caught committing a sin, you who are spiritually minded should, in a gentle spirit, help him to recover himself, taking care lest any one of you also should be tempted.

He, however, who is being instructed in the Message ought always to share his blessings with the man who instructs him.

For he who sows the field of his earthly nature will from that earthly nature reap corruption; while he who sows the field of the spirit will from that spirit reap Immortal Life.

Those who wish to appear to advantage in regard to outward observances are the very people who are trying to compel you to be circumcised; and they do it only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Jesus, the Christ.

Even these men who are circumcised do not themselves keep the Law; yet they want you to be circumcised, so that they may boast of your observance of the rite.

But, for my part, may I never boast of anything except the cross of Jesus Christ, our Master, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

May all who rule their conduct by this principle find peace and mercy--they who are the Israel of God.