For I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin.

to reveal his Son to me so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles, I did not confer with another human being at any time,

But the churches of the Messiah that are in Judea did not yet know me personally.

I went in response to a revelation, and in a private meeting with the reputed leaders, I explained to them the gospel that I'm proclaiming to the gentiles. I did this because I was afraid that I was running or had run my life's race for nothing.

However, false brothers were secretly brought in. They slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in the Messiah Jesus so that they might enslave us.

But we did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might always remain with you.

In fact, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised.

So when James, Cephas, and John (who were reputed to be leaders) recognized the grace that had been given me, they gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the gentiles and they to the circumcised.

The other Jews also joined him in this hypocritical behavior, to the extent that even Barnabas was caught up in their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas in front of everyone, "Though you are a Jew, you have been living like a gentile and not like a Jew. So how can you insist that the gentiles must live like Jews?"

yet we know that a person is not justified by doing what the Law requires, but rather by the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah. We, too, have believed in the Messiah Jesus so that we might be justified by the faithfulness of the Messiah and not by doing what the Law requires, for no human being will be justified by doing what the Law requires.

Now if we, while trying to be justified by the Messiah, have been found to be sinners, does that mean that the Messiah is serving the interests of sin? Of course not!

For if I rebuild something that I tore down, I demonstrate that I am a wrongdoer.

For through the Law I died to the Law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with the Messiah.

I no longer live, but the Messiah lives in me, and the life that I am now living in this body I live by the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham's real descendants.

Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the gentiles by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, "Through you all nations will be blessed."

Certainly all who depend on the actions of the Law are under a curse. For it is written, "A curse on everyone who does not obey everything that is written in the Book of the Law!"

Now it is obvious that no one is justified in the sight of God by the Law, because "The righteous will live by faith."

This happened in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the gentiles through the Messiah Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

This is what I mean: The Law that came 430 years later did not cancel the covenant that God ratified previously. The promise was never nullified.

For if the inheritance comes about through the Law, it no longer comes about through the promise. But it was through a promise that God so graciously gave it to Abraham.

So is the Law in conflict with the promises of God? Of course not! For if a law had been given that could give us life, then certainly righteousness would come through the Law.

But the Scripture has captured everything by means of sin's net, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of the Messiah might be granted to those who believe.

Now before faith came about, we were held in custody and confined under the Law in preparation for the faith that was to be revealed.

And so the Law was our guardian until the Messiah came, so that we might be justified by faith.

But now that faith has come about, we are no longer under a guardian.

However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all.

But now that you know God, or rather have been known by God, how can you turn back again to those powerless and bankrupt basic principles? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again?

You know that it was because I was ill that I brought you the gospel the first time.

What, then, happened to your positive attitude? For I testify that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

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.

Indeed, I wish I were with you right now so that I could change the tone of my voice, because I am completely baffled by you!

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman.

The Messiah has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. So keep on standing firm in it, and stop putting yourselves under the yoke of slavery again.

Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Messiah will be of no benefit to you.

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

I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view of this. However, the one who is troubling you will suffer God's judgment, whoever he is.

As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching the necessity of circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.

I wish that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves!

But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you are not destroyed by each other.

envy, murder, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Brothers, if a person is caught doing something wrong, those of you who are spiritual should restore that person gently. Watch out for yourself so that you are not tempted as well.

Why, not even those who are circumcised obey the Law! They simply want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your external appearance.

so that we would praise his glorious grace that he gave us in the Beloved One.

that he lavished on us, along with all wisdom and understanding,

when he made known to us the secret of his will. This was according to his plan that he set forth in the Messiah

In the Messiah we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of the one who does everything that he wills to do,

so that we who had already fixed our hope on the Messiah might live for his praise and glory.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the most glorious Father, would give you a wise spirit, along with revelation that comes through knowing the Messiah fully.

Then, with the eyes of your hearts enlightened, you will know the confidence that is produced by God having called you, the rich glory that is his inheritance among the saints,

He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.

that you once practiced as you lived according to the ways of this present world and according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now active in those who are disobedient.

so that in the coming ages he might display the limitless riches of his grace that comes to us through his kindness in the Messiah Jesus.

For we are God's masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.

So then, remember that at one time you gentiles by birth were called "the uncircumcised" by those who called themselves "the circumcised." They underwent physical circumcision done by human hands.

At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from citizenship in Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. You had no hope and were in the world without God.

For it is he who is our peace. Through his mortality he made both groups one by tearing down the wall of hostility that divided them.

That is why you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household,

Surely you have heard about the responsibility of administering God's grace that was given to me on your behalf,

which in previous generations was not made known to human beings as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This is that secret:

I have become a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power.

To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given so that I might proclaim to the gentiles the immeasurable wealth of the Messiah

and help everyone see how this secret that has been at work was hidden for ages by God, who created all things.

He did this so that now, through the church, the wisdom of God in all its variety might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm

in keeping with the eternal purpose that God carried out through the Messiah Jesus our Lord,

I pray that he would give you, according to his glorious riches, strength in your inner being and power through his Spirit,

and that the Messiah would make his home in your hearts through faith. Then, having been rooted and grounded in love,

that is, you will know the love of the Messiah which transcends knowledge, and will be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to live in a way that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

That is why God says, "When he went up to the highest place, he led captives into captivity and gave gifts to people."

Now what does this "he went up" mean except that he also had gone down into the lower parts of the earth?

The one who went down is the same one who went up above all the heavens so that all things would be fulfilled.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed like waves and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, or by clever strategies that would lead us astray.

Instead, by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely and become one with the head, that is, one with the Messiah,

However, that is not the way you came to know the Messiah.

The thief must no longer steal but must work hard and do what is good with his own hands, so that he might earn something to give to the needy.

For you know very well that no immoral or impure person, or anyone who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

Do not let anyone deceive you with meaningless words, for it is because of these things that God becomes angry with those who disobey.

for the fruit that the light produces consists of every form of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

and have nothing to do with the unfruitful actions that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are.

But everything that is exposed to the light becomes visible,

for the light is making everything visible. That is why it says, "Wake up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.''

so that he might make it holy by cleansing it, washing it with water and the word,

"That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

""so that it may go well for you, and that you may have a long life on the earth."

because you know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.

Masters, treat your slaves the same way. Do not threaten them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the Devil's strategies.

For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm.

Pray also for me, so that, when I begin to speak, the right words will come to me. Then I will boldly make known the secret of the gospel,

So that you may know what has happened to me and how I am doing, Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in service to the Lord, will tell you everything.

I am sending him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts.

I am convinced of this, that the one who began a good action among you will bring it to completion by the Day of the Messiah Jesus.

For God is my witness how much I long for all of you with the compassion that the Messiah Jesus provides.

And this is my prayer, that your love will keep on growing more and more with full knowledge and insight,

so that you may be able to choose what is best and be pure and blameless until the day when the Messiah returns,

having been filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus the Messiah so that God will be glorified and praised.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually caused the gospel to advance.