Opening Greeting (1:1–5)
Reproof and Declaration of Loyalty to the Gospel of Christ (1:6–10)
I. Paul’s Defense of His Gospel with Autobiographical Arguments (1:11–2:21)
A. The Divine Origin of Paul’s Gospel (1:11–24)
1. Introduction to Part 1 (1:11–12)
2. From Persecutor to Apostle (1:13–24)
B. Official Recognition of Paul’s Gospel (2:1–10)
1. Second Visit to Jerusalem and a Controversy (2:1–5)
2. Agreement among the Apostles (2:6–10)
C. The Incident at Antioch and the Gospel of Paul (2:11–21)
1. Paul Opposes Peter’s Inconsistent Conduct (2:11–14)
2. The Doctrine of Justification (2:15–21)
II. Arguments from Christian Experience and from Scripture (3:1–5:12)
A. Variety of Arguments (3:1–18)
1. An Argument from Experience: The Gift of the Spirit (3:1–5)
2. An Argument from Scripture: The Faith and Blessing of Abraham (3:6–14)
3. A Legal Argument: The Priority of the Promise over the Law (3:15–18)
B. The Temporary Role of the Law; the Superiority of Faith (3:19–4:11)
1. The Provisional Nature of the Law (3:19–22)
2. The Two Periods of Salvation History (3:23–4:7)
3. Direct Address (4:8–11)
C. An Appeal to Remember Their Love in the Past (4:12–20)
D. Another Argument from Scripture and a Conclusion (4:21–5:12)
1. The Two Sons of Abraham and Two Covenants (4:21–31)
2. Concluding Exhortations and Admonitions (5:1–12)
III. Application to Christian Life (5:13–6:10)
A. Freedom: Not License but Service in Love (5:13–15)
B. The Power of the Spirit over the Flesh (5:16–25)
C. Not Conceit but Solidarity (5:26–6:6)
D. Do What Is Good (6:7–10)
Paul’s Handwritten Postscript (6:11–18)