whom be glory for ever and ever. amen. I wonder you have so soon deserted unto another gospel,

but tho' I, or an angel from heaven should preach any thing to you for gospel, different from the gospel I have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

as I said before, so say I now again, if any one preach any other thing to you for gospel, than what you have received, let him be accursed.

for do I now act in obedience to men, or to God? or do I seek to please men? if I had hitherto pleased men, I should not have been the servant of Christ.

you have heard of my former behaviour, whilst I was of the Jewish religion, with what excessive violence I persecuted the church of God, and laid it waste:

and I went up according to revelation, and communicated to them that gospel, which I preach among the Gentiles; but privately to those who were of note, lest the pains, that I have already taken, or may hereafter take in the gospel, should be in vain.

and as to the false brethren, who insidiously crept in to spy out our liberty which we have by Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into servitude;

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.

on the contrary, if I re-establish what I have demolish'd, I show myself a prevaricator.

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.

O foolish Galatians, who hath deluded you, you that have had the crucifixion of Jesus Christ represented to your view?

have you so little understanding, as having begun in the spiritual doctrine of the gospel, to turn again to the law?

have you suffered so many things in vain?

Is the law then opposite to the promises? by no means. for if there had been a law given, which could have given life, certainly justification should have been by the law.

for as many of you as have been baptized into christianity, have been invested as christians.

you make me apprehensive, that the labour I have bestowed upon you will be all in vain.

It is not you that have done me any injury: tho' you knew through what infirmity of the flesh I heretofore preached the gospel to you,

what benedictions did you then pour out upon me! for I bear you witness, that, had it been practicable, you would have pulled out your very eyes, and given them to me.

they court your affection, but not in a fair way; for they design to exclude me, that you might have the greater esteem for them.

these things have an allegorical meaning: the two women signify the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, which is represented by Agar, whose children were born in a state of servitude.

Christ is of no use to you, whoever of you seek to be justified by the law; you have lost all interest in the gospel-dispensation.

I have confidence in you, that, through the Lord, you will be of the same mind with me, so that he who troubles you shall fall under the censure he deserves, whoever he be.

for, brethren, you have been called to liberty. only abuse not this freedom as a pretext to vice, but in offices of love be as servants one to another.

drunkenness, revellings, and such like, concerning which I forewarn you now, as heretofore I have done, that they who practise such vices, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

now they who belong to Christ, have crucified the animal nature with the affections and passions thereof.

but let every one bring his own work to the test, and then he will have matter of glorying in himself alone, and not in another.

therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good offices to all men, especially to the family of believers.

You see how long a letter I have writ to you with my own hand.

for even they who are circumcised, do not themselves observe the law in other respects; but they dedesire to have you circumcised, that they may have matter of glorying upon that account.