Paul, an Apostle sent not from men nor by any man, but by Jesus Christ and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from among the dead--

and all the brethren who are with me: To the Churches of Galatia.

who gave Himself to suffer for our sins in order to rescue us from the present wicked age in accordance with the will of our God and Father.

I marvel that you are so readily leaving Him who called you by the grace of Christ, and are adhering to a different Good News.

For other "Good News" there is none; but there are some persons who are troubling you, and are seeking to distort the Good News concerning Christ.

But when He who set me apart even from my birth, and called me by His grace,

nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were my seniors in the Apostleship, but I went away into Arabia, and afterwards came back to Damascus.

They only heard it said, "He who was once our persecutor is now telling the Good News of the faith of which he formerly made havoc."

Yet there was danger of this through the false brethren secretly introduced into the Church, who had stolen in to spy out the freedom which is ours in Christ Jesus, in order to rob us of it.

for He who had been at work within Peter with a view to his Apostleship to the Jews had also been at work within me with a view to my Apostleship to the Gentiles--

and when they perceived the mission which was graciously entrusted to me, they (that is to say, James, Peter, and John, who were considered to be the pillars of the Church)

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me; and the life which I now live in the body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up to death on my behalf.

You foolish Galatians! Whose sophistry has bewitched you--you to whom Jesus Christ has been vividly portrayed as on the Cross?

He who gives you His Spirit and works miracles among you--does He do so on the ground of your obedience to the Law, or is it the result of your having heard and believed:

Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham.

So we see that it is those who possess faith that are blessed with believing Abraham.

All who are depending upon their own obedience to the Law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who does not remain faithful to all the precepts of the Law, and practise them."

and the Law has nothing to do with faith. It teaches that "he who does these things shall live by doing them."

Christ has purchased our freedom from the curse of the Law by becoming accursed for us--because "Cursed is every one who is hanged upon a tree."

Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.

But Scripture has shown that all mankind are the prisoners of sin, in order that the promised blessing, which depends on faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who believe.

for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.

in order to purchase the freedom of all who were subject to Law, so that we might receive recognition as sons.

you for whom I am again, as it were, undergoing the pains of childbirth, until Christ is fully formed within you.

Tell me--you who want to continue to be subject to Law--will you not listen to the Law?

For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren woman that bearest not, break forth into a joyful cry, thou that dost not travail with child. For the desolate woman has many children--more indeed than she who has the husband."

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

I once more protest to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to obey the whole Law of Moses.

Christ has become nothing to any of you who are seeking acceptance with God through the Law: you have fallen away from grace.

You were running the race nobly! Who has interfered and caused you to swerve from the truth?

No such teaching ever proceeded from Him who is calling you.

For my part I have strong confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt my view of the matter. But the man--be he who he may--who is troubling you, will have to bear the full weight of the judgement to be pronounced on him.

Would to God that those who are unsettling your faith would even mutilate themselves.

hard drinking, riotous feasting, and the like. And as to these I forewarn you, as I have already forewarned you, that those who are guilty of such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God.

Against such things as these there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their lower nature with its passions and appetites.

Brethren, if anybody be detected in any misconduct, you who are spiritual should restore such a one in a spirit of meekness. And let each of you keep watch over himself, lest he also fall into temptation.

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

But let those who receive instruction in Christian truth share with their instructors all temporal blessings.

He who sows in the field of his lower nature, will from that nature reap destruction; but he who sows to serve the Spirit will from the Spirit reap the Life of the Ages.

So then, as we have opportunity, let us labour for the good of all, and especially of those who belong to the household of the faith.

All who desire to display their zeal for external observances try to compel you to receive circumcision, but their real object is simply to escape being persecuted for the Cross of Christ.

And all who shall regulate their lives by this principle--may peace and mercy be given to them--and to the true Israel of God.