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.

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.

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

I do not misapply God's grace, for if righteousness comes about by doing what the Law requires, then the Messiah died for nothing.

Are you so foolish? Having started out with the Spirit, are you now ending up with the flesh?

Did you suffer so much for nothing? (If it really was for nothing!)

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."

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.

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.

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.

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

For all of you are God's children through faith in the Messiah Jesus.

And if you belong to the Messiah, then you are Abraham's descendants indeed, and heirs according to the promise.

So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir because of what God did.

So have I now become your enemy for telling you the truth?

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!

Now the slave woman's son was conceived through human means, while the free woman's son was conceived through divine promise.

So you, brothers, are children of the promise, like Isaac.

But just as then the son who was conceived according to the flesh persecuted the son who was conceived according to the Spirit, so it is now.

But what does the Scripture say? "Drive out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman must never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman."

So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the 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.

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.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will never fulfill the desires of the flesh.

For what the flesh wants is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, and so you do not do what you want to do.

Let's stop being arrogant, provoking one another and envying one another.

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.

Practice carrying each other's burdens. In this way you will fulfill the law of the Messiah.

Let's not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

So then, whenever we have the opportunity, let's practice doing good to everyone, especially to the family of faith.

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.

From: Paul, an apostle of the Messiah Jesus by God's will. To: His holy and faithful people in Ephesus who are in union with the Messiah Jesus.

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

In union with him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of God's grace

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

God has put everything under the Messiah's feet and has made him the head of everything for the good of the church,

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.

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

You, too, are being built in him, along with the others, into a place for God's Spirit to dwell.

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

So then, I ask you not to become discouraged because of my troubles on your behalf, which work toward your glory.

Now to each one of us grace has been given proportionate to the measure of the Messiah's gift.

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

until all of us are united in the faith and in the full knowledge of God's Son, and until we attain mature adulthood and the full standard of development in the Messiah.

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.

and to clothe yourselves with the new nature, which was created according to God's image in righteousness and true holiness.

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.

So be imitators of God, as his dear children.

So do not be partners with them.

So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise,

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Indeed, just as the church is submissive to the Messiah, so wives must be submissive to their husbands in everything.

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

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

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

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.

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.

Moreover, because of my imprisonment the Lord has caused most of the brothers to become confident to speak God's word more boldly and courageously than ever before.

Some are preaching the Messiah because of jealousy and dissension, while others do so because of their good will.

But so what? Just this that in every way, whether by false or true motives, the Messiah is being proclaimed. Because of this, I rejoice and will continue to rejoice.

Now if I continue living, fruitful labor is the result, so I do not know which I would prefer.

Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will continue to live and be with all of you, so you will mature in the faith and know joy in it.

The only thing that matters is that you continue to live as good citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of the Messiah. Then, whether I come to see you or whether I stay away, I may hear all about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, struggling with one mind for the faith of the gospel,

For you have been given the privilege for the Messiah's sake not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.

You have the same struggle that you saw in me and now hear that I am still having.

In God's own form existed he, and shared with God equality, deemed nothing needed grasping.

Instead, poured out in emptiness, a servant's form did he possess, a mortal man becoming. In human form he chose to be,

And so, when Jesus' name is called, the knees of everyone should fall, wherever they're residing.

Then every tongue in one accord, will say that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, while God the Father praising.

And so, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I am absent, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

so that you may be blameless and innocent, God's children without any faults among a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world

Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I can be encouraged when I learn of your condition.

Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things are going to turn out for me.

Indeed, he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow on top of another.

Therefore, I am especially eager to send him so that you may have the joy of seeing him again, and so that I may feel relieved.

So joyfully welcome him in the Lord and make sure you honor such people highly,

So then, my brothers, keep on rejoicing in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you; indeed, it is for your safety.

although I could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he can place confidence in the flesh, I have more reason to think so.

It's not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah Jesus.

I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus.