(I went up at that time in obedience to a revelation). And I laid before them the gospel which I am wont to preach among the Gentiles. I did this privately before those in authority, lest by any means I should be running, or should already have run, in vain.

But, this was because of the false brethren secretly introduced, - who, indeed, came in secretly to spy out our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: -

Also, when they perceived that this [special] favor [of preaching to Gentiles] was granted to me, James, Cephas [i.e., Peter] and John, the highly regarded pillars [i.e., leaders of the church] extended to me and Barnabas their right hands [signifying an agreement] to share [in the preaching of the Gospel], with us going to the Gentiles and they going to the circumcised ones [i.e., Jews].

Only that we should remember, the destitute, - as to which I had given diligence, this very thing, to do.

Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.

and the rest of the Jews also joined in [this] hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with them in [their] hypocrisy.

still we know that a person is not justified [i.e., made right with God] by [perfect obedience to] the law of Moses, but rather through faith in [the person and work of] Christ. [Knowing this] we have trusted in Christ Jesus [to save us], so that we might be made right with God by trusting in Him and not by [our compliance with] the requirements of the law of Moses. Because by such law-compliance no one can be made right with God.

For if I try to build up again what I had already destroyed [i.e., by returning to depend on compliance with the law of Moses to become right with God, after having rejected this system by trusting in Christ to save me], I would certainly be guilty of sin.

For it was by means of [this system of] law-keeping that I [realized I] was dead. This was so I could find life through a relationship with God.

I am crucified with Christ, it is not I that now live, but Christ that liveth in me; the life I have in this body I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

[In doing this] I am not trying to disregard God's unearned favor, for if a person could become right with God by [perfect obedience to the requirements of] the law of Moses, then Christ died for nothing.

You foolish people [of the churches] of Galatia [Note: This was a province in present-day Turkey], who tricked you? Was not Jesus Christ graphically portrayed before you as being put to death on a cross?

Answer me this one question. "When you received the Spirit, was it from doing what the Law commands or from believing the message heard?"

He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he this by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

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

And, predicting that God would consider the Gentiles right with Him by [their] faith, the Scriptures previously recorded [this promise of] the Gospel to Abraham by saying [Gen. 12:3], "All nations will receive a blessing through your descendant [i.e., Jesus]."

[This happened] so that the blessing [promised] to Abraham might be received by the Gentiles through [the person and work of] Christ, so that we might receive the promised [gift of the] Holy Spirit through [our] faith [in Jesus].

Now it was to Abraham that the promises were spoken, and to his offspring. God did not say, "offsprings" as if speaking of many, but "and to your offspring," as of one; and this is Christ.

Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect.

For if the inheritance [of never ending life] can be obtained by [obeying the requirements of] the law of Moses, it would not come from the promise [of God]; but God provided [this inheritance] for Abraham according to [His] promise.

Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.

The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith.

But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

[In this relationship] there is to be no [distinction between] Jews or Greeks [i.e., Gentiles], slaves or free persons, men or women; for all of you are united into one [body] because of your relationship with Christ Jesus.

What I mean is this. As long as the heir is a child, he differs in no respect from a slave, though he be the owner of the whole inheritance;

And so is it with us; when we were under age, as it were, we were slaves to the puerile teaching of this world;

I urge of you, brothers, become like me [in this matter], for I have become like you. You did not do anything wrong to me, [even as I have not wronged you].

What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

I wish I could be present this very moment with you, and suit my discourse accordingly, for I stand in doubt what to think of you.

Tell me this, you who want to be subject to law: Will you not listen to the Law?

Now all this is an allegory, for these women are the two covenants; one from Mount Sinai, which is Hagar bearing children into bondage

Now this Hagar is the mountain Sinai in Arabia, and is the image of the Jerusalem which now is: which is a servant with her children.

What does the Scripture say about this matter? [It says, Gen. 21:10-12], "Get rid of the slave woman [Hagar], with her son [Ishmael]; for the son of the slave woman [Ishmael] will not inherit [what God promised to Abraham and his descendants], along with the son of the free woman [i.e., Isaac]."

This is the freedom with which Christ has made us free. So keep on standing in it, and stop letting your necks be fastened in the yoke of slavery again.

I insist on this again to everyone who gets circumcised, that he is obliged to carry out the whole of the Law.

This ready belief did not come from him who had made you his.

A little bit of yeast permeates the whole batch of dough [i.e., a few people can influence everyone else to do the wrong thing in this matter].

[However], I have confidence in you, since we both have a relationship with the Lord, that you will not think differently [than I do] about this matter. But whoever is causing you trouble will be rightfully judged [and punished] for it.

For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.

For the whole Law has been fulfilled in this one precept, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

This is my meaning. Let your steps be guided by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Be not misled, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows this he will also reap.

Look at how large the letters are that I am using in writing this, and I am writing them myself.

For not even those who practice circumcision comply with [the requirements of] the law of Moses, yet they want you to be circumcised so they can take credit for this physical evidence [of your compliance with the law of Moses].

But far be it from me to have glory in anything, but only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which this world has come to an end on the cross for me, and I for it.

Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule [who discipline themselves and conduct their lives by this principle], and upon the [true] Israel of God (Jewish believers).

From this time forth let no one trouble me, for I bear branded in my body the marks of Jesus, my Master.

May the unearned favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be in your inner person, brothers. May this be so.

[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to God's will, [and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] at Ephesus [Note: This was a major city in the western province of Asia Minor, and now a part of Turkey. The words "at Ephesus" are omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting it was a circular letter], and the faithful ones in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus [everywhere else ?].

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, for He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in [fellowship with] Christ. [Note: The term "heavenly realms" is used somewhat differently throughout this book. Here it refers to Christians as part of the church on earth].

He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will --

All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,

He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ,

[He did this] to fulfill His plan at the proper time, by bringing together everything [in the universe] under Christ's headship --- things both in heaven and on earth.

In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God's Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;

and this is the pledge of our inheritance, being given for the deliverance of his peculiar people, to the display of his glory.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,

and what God's tremendous power [working] in us believers is. [This power is] the same as that utilized by God's mighty strength,

He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens—

Over-above all principality, authority, and power, and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one,

And you being dead in trespasses and sins,??2 in which you formerly walked according to the life of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit which now operates in the children of disobedience,

in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

All of us [Jews] also once lived among such people, fulfilling the improper cravings of our physical being and doing what our bodies and minds desired. In this natural [unconverted] state we were deserving of [God's] wrath, just like the rest [of mankind].

[and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption].

For, by his favour, have ye been saved, through means of faith, and this hath come to pass - not from you, of God, the free-gift!

For we [Christians] are the product of God's workmanship, [re-] created in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus for [the purpose of] doing good deeds. God had previously determined that this should be our practice.

For this reason keep it in mind that in the past you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are looked on as being outside the circumcision by those who have circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands;

remember, I say, that ye were at that time without Christ, and were reputed aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and were strangers from the testaments of promise, and had no hope, and were without God in this world.

when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace,

He did this so that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross and put the hostility to death by it.

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

For this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you the nations: -

For by revelation showed he this mystery unto me, as I wrote above in few words,

By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,

which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit;

[it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation].

Of this [gospel] I was made a minister by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.

Unto me - the less than least of all saints, was given this favour, unto the nations, to announce the glad-message of the untraceable riches of the Christ,

and to make clear how is to be carried out the trusteeship of this secret which has for ages been hidden away in God, the Creator of all things,

This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

This is in accordance with [the terms of] the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

In him we have this fearless confidence and boldness of access through our faith in him.

For this reason it is my prayer that you may not become feeble because of my troubles for you, which are your glory.

For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father, -

Be ye rooted and grounded in social virtue, that you may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of this mystery:

I then, the prisoner in the Lord, make this request from my heart, that you will see that your behaviour is a credit to the position which God's purpose has given you,

Now to each one of us was given this grace, according to the measure of Christ's gift.

For this reason he says, He went up on high, taking his prisoners with him, and gave freely to men.

Now this, He ascended; what is it, - save - that he also descended into the under parts of the earth?

And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;

This, therefore, am I saying and protesting in the Lord: - that, no longer, ye walk even as, the nations, walk - in the vanity of their minds,

for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.

For this was not the teaching of Christ which was given to you;

if at least you have heard His voice and in Him have been taught--and this is true Christian teaching--

For this reason, laying aside falsehood, every one of you should speak the truth to his fellow man; for we are, as it were, parts of one another.

Let no filthy talk be heard from your mouths, but only what is good for building up people and meeting the need of the moment. This way you will administer grace to those who hear you.

For, this, ye know, if ye take note - that no fornicator, or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

But when all [such] things are exposed by the light [i.e., the truth], they become [clearly] visible [i.e., their true nature is revealed], for everything so revealed becomes illuminated. [Note: Possibly this means "it is light that clearly reveals everything"].