For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy which is of God; for I have espoused you unto one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ.

but I fear, lest, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

Why? Because I do not love you [or wish you well, or have regard for your welfare]? God knows [that I do]!

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

I admit, to my shame, that we have been weak. But whatever the subject on which others are not afraid to boast--though it is foolish to say so--I am not afraid either!

Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

In Damascus, the ruler under Aretas the king kept watch over the town of the people of Damascus, in order to take me:

I have to keep on boasting. There is no good to be gotten from it, but I will go on to visions and revelations which the Lord has given me.

I know a man in Christ above fourteen years agone - whether he were in the body I cannot tell, or whether he were out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth - which was taken up into the third heaven.

I know even such a man,??hether in the body or out of the body I know not, God knows,??4 that he was caught up to paradise, and heard unutterable words, which it is not lawful for man to speak.

How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

and lest I should be exalted above measure by the extraordinary revelations I have had, I was afflicted in my person, so that the messenger of satan insulted me; concerning which,

So I most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the strength of Christ may overshadow me. That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecution, and difficulties, which I endure for Christ's sake, for it is when I am consciously weak that I am really strong.

for what is there in which ye were inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I myself was not a burden to you? forgive me this injustice!

But though it be granted that I was not a burden to you, yet, you say, this was my cunning with which I caught you by a trick.

Did I defraud you by any of them which I sent unto you?

For I fear lest perhaps coming I find you not such as I wish, and that I be found by you such as ye do not wish: lest there might be strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, evil speakings, whisperings, puffings up, disturbances;

And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth [and the gospel—the good news of salvation].

For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

All God's people wish to be remembered to you.

Paul an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and by God the father which raised him from death,

And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

which gave himself for our sins, to deliver us from this present evil world, through the will of God our father,

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Christ who called you by his grace to another gospel, Which is not another;

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

and prevailed in the Jews' law, above many of my companions, which were of mine own nation, and was a much more fervent maintainer of the traditions of the elders.

But when it pleased God, which separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

which made them praise God for me.

And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Also Titus which was with me, though he were a Greek, yet was not compelled to be circumcised;

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Of them which seemed to be great - what they were in time passed it maketh no matter to me: God looketh on no man's person - nevertheless they seemed great, added nothing to me:

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)

Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

But when Cephas came to Antioch [of Syria], I confronted him personally [about a matter] for which he deserved to be condemned.

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

We which are Jews by nature and not sinners of the gentiles,

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification.

Now if it be a sin to seek for justification by Christ, then is Christ the minister of sin, which cannot be.

For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

This only I wish to learn of you, Have ye received the Spirit on the principle of works of law, or of the report of faith?

Which ministered to you the spirit, and worketh miracles among you: doth he it through the deeds of the law? Or by preaching of the faith?

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

So that on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; in order that we through faith might have the Spirit which God had undertaken to give.

Brethren, I speak according to a man, nevertheless no one disannuls, or adds to, the covenant of a man which has been confirmed.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Why, then, the law? on account of the transgressions it was added, till the seed might come to which the promise hath been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator --

now a mediator supposes two parties, of which God is but one.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

But the Scripture has imprisoned everyone [everything—the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s precious Son].

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

For ye are all the sons of God, by the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

He is subject to the control of guardians and stewards, during the period for which his father has power to appoint them.

to redeem them which were under the law: that we through election might receive the inheritance that belongeth unto the natural sons.

And because you are [His] children, God sent the Holy Spirit of His Son into our hearts, to call out, "Abba," [which means] "Father."

Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?

You make me fear that the labor which I have spent on you may have been wasted.

on the contrary, you know that although it was illness which brought about my preaching the gospel to you at my first visit,

And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

they are zealous for you -- yet not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;

But it is good to be zealously affected always in that which is good, and not only when I am present with you.

but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

Tell me, you that wish to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Yea, and he which was of the bondwoman, was born after the flesh: but he which was of the freewoman, was born by promise.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

so then, my brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman, by virtue of that freedom which Christ has procur'd for us.

In the freedom, then, with which Christ did make you free -- stand ye, and be not held fast again by a yoke of servitude;

I testify again to every man which is circumcised that he is bound to keep the whole law.

For we [not relying on the Law but] through the [strength and power of the Holy] Spirit, by faith, are waiting [confidently] for the hope of righteousness [the completion of our salvation].

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Brethren, if I yet preach circumcision: why do I then yet suffer persecution? For then had the offense which the cross giveth, ceased.

I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

For the entire Law has been obeyed when you have kept the single precept, which says, "You are to love your fellow man equally with yourself."