Greeting
1Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but athrough Jesus Christ and God the Father bwho raised Him from the dead),
2and all the brethren who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4cwho gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us dfrom this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Only One Gospel
6I marvel that you are turning away so soon efrom Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7fwhich is not another; but there are some gwho trouble you and want to hpervert1 the gospel of Christ.
8But even if iwe, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be 2accursed.
9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you jthan what you have received, let him be accursed.
10For kdo I now lpersuade men, or God? Or mdo I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Call to Apostleship
(cf. Acts 9:1–25)
11nBut I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12For oI neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came pthrough the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how qI persecuted the church of God beyond measure and rtried to destroy it.
14And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, sbeing more exceedingly zealous tfor the traditions of my fathers.
15But when it pleased God, uwho separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,
16vto reveal His Son in me, that wI might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with xflesh and blood,
17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Contacts at Jerusalem
(cf. Acts 9:26–31)
18Then after three years yI went up to Jerusalem to see 3Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.
19But zI saw none of the other apostles except aJames, the Lord’s brother.
20(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)
21bAfterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which cwere in Christ.
23But they were dhearing only, “He who formerly epersecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
24And they fglorified God in me.
Defending the Gospel
(cf. Acts 15:1–21)
1Then after fourteen years aI went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.
2And I went up 1by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but bprivately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means cI might run, or had run, in vain.
3Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
4And this occurred because of dfalse brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our eliberty which we have in Christ Jesus, fthat they might bring us into bondage),
5to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that gthe truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6But from those hwho seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; iGod 2shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something jadded nothing to me.
7But on the contrary, kwhen they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised lhad been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter
8(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the mcircumcised nalso oworked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
9and when James, 3Cephas, and John, who seemed to be ppillars, perceived qthe grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, rthat we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10They desired only that we should remember the poor, sthe very thing which I also was eager to do.
No Return to the Law
11tNow when 4Peter had come to Antioch, I 5withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;
12for before certain men came from James, uhe would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing 6those who were of the circumcision.
13And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about vthe truth of the gospel, I said to Peter wbefore them all, x“If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, 7why do you compel Gentiles to live as 8Jews?
15y“We who are Jews by nature, and not zsinners of the Gentiles,
16a“knowing that a man is not 9justified by the works of the law but bby faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not cby the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
17“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found dsinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!
18“For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19“For I ethrough the law fdied to the law that I might glive to God.
20“I have been hcrucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh iI live by faith in the Son of God, jwho loved me and gave Himself for me.
21“I do not set aside the grace of God; for kif righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died 10in vain.”
Justification by Faith
(cf. Rom. 4:1–25)
1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you 1that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed 2among you as crucified? Paul’s Jewish Opponents
2This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, aor by the hearing of faith?
3Are you so foolish? bHaving begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by cthe flesh?
4dHave you suffered so 3many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—
6just as Abraham e“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
7Therefore know that only fthose who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
8And gthe Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, h“In you all the nations shall be blessed.”
9So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
The Law Brings a Curse
10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, i“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
11But that no one is 4justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for j“the just shall live by faith.”
12Yet kthe law is not of faith, but l“the man who does them shall live by them.”
13mChrist has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, n“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
14othat the blessing of Abraham might come upon the pGentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive qthe promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Changeless Promise
(cf. Gen. 12:1–3)
15Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: rThough it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
16Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of sone, t“And to your Seed,” who is uChrist.
17And this I say, that the law, vwhich was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God 5in Christ, wthat it should make the promise of no effect.
18For if xthe inheritance is of the law, yit is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Purpose of the Law
19What purpose then does the law serve? zIt was added because of transgressions, till the aSeed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was bappointed through angels by the hand cof a mediator.
20Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, dbut God is one.
21Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
22But the Scripture has confined eall under sin, fthat the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, 6kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24Therefore gthe law was our 7tutor to bring us to Christ, hthat we might be justified by faith.
25But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Sons and Heirs
26For you iare all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27For jas many of you as were baptized into Christ khave put on Christ.
28lThere is neither Jew nor Greek, mthere is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all none in Christ Jesus.
29And oif you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s pseed, and qheirs according to the promise.
1Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
3Even so we, when we were children, awere in bondage under the elements of the world.
4But bwhen the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, cborn1 dof a woman, eborn under the law,
5fto redeem those who were under the law, gthat we might receive the adoption as sons.
6And because you are sons, God has sent forth hthe Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 2“Abba, Father!”
7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, iand if a son, then an heir 3of God 4through Christ.
Fears for the Church
8But then, indeed, jwhen you did not know God, kyou served those which by nature are not gods. The Gods of the Greeks and Romans
9But now lafter you have known God, or rather are known by God, mhow is it that you turn again to nthe weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
10oYou observe days and months and seasons and years.
11I am afraid for you, plest I have labored for you in vain.
12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. qYou have not injured me at all.
13You know that rbecause of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.
14And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me sas an 5angel of God, teven as Christ Jesus.
156What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.
16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17They uzealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.
18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
19vMy little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
20I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
Two Covenants
21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
22For it is written that Abraham had two sons: wthe one by a bondwoman, xthe other by a freewoman.
23But he who was of the bondwoman ywas born according to the flesh, zand he of the freewoman through promise,
24which things are symbolic. For these are 7the two covenants: the one from Mount aSinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—
25for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—
26but the bJerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27For it is written:
c“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”
28Now dwe, brethren, as Isaac was, are echildren of promise.
29But, as fhe who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, geven so it is now.
30Nevertheless what does hthe Scripture say? i“Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for jthe son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Christian Liberty
1aStand1 fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a byoke of bondage.
2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that cif you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
3And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised dthat he is 2a debtor to keep the whole law.
4eYou have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; fyou have fallen from grace.
5For we through the Spirit eagerly gwait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6For hin Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but ifaith working through love.
Love Fulfills the Law
7You jran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
8This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.
9kA little leaven leavens the whole lump.
10I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, lwhy do I still suffer persecution? Then mthe offense of the cross has ceased.
12nI could wish that those owho trouble you would even 3cut themselves off!
13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only pdo not use liberty as an qopportunity for the flesh, but rthrough love serve one another. The Fruit of the Spirit
14For sall the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: t“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
Walking in the Spirit
16I say then: uWalk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17For vthe flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, wso that you do not do the things that you wish.
18But xif you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19Now ythe works of the flesh are evident, which are: 4adultery, 5fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21envy, 6murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that zthose who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But athe fruit of the Spirit is blove, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, cgoodness, dfaithfulness,
237gentleness, self-control. eAgainst such there is no law.
24And those who are Christ’s fhave crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25gIf we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26hLet us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Bear and Share Burdens
1Brethren, if a man is 1overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of agentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2bBear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill cthe law of Christ.
3For dif anyone thinks himself to be something, when ehe is nothing, he deceives himself.
4But flet each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and gnot in another.
5For heach one shall bear his own load.
Be Generous and Do Good
6iLet him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for jwhatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap keverlasting life.
9And llet us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap mif we do not lose heart.
10nTherefore, as we have opportunity, olet us do good to all, pespecially to those who are of the household of faith.
Glory Only in the Cross
11See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!
12As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, qonly that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
13For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
14But God forbid that I should boast except in the rcross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by 2whom the world has been crucified to me, and sI to the world.
15For tin Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
Blessing and a Plea
16And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
18Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.