1:1 |
Paul,
an Apostle (not from men, and not through man, but through Jesus Christ, and
God the Father, who made him come back from the dead), |
1:2 |
And
all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: |
1:3 |
Grace
to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, |
1:4 |
Who
gave himself for our sins, so that he might make us free from this present
evil world, after the purpose of our God and Father: |
1:5 |
To
whom be the glory for ever and ever. So be it. |
1:6 |
I
am surprised that you are being so quickly turned away from him whose word
came to you in the grace of Christ, to good news of a different sort; |
1:7 |
Which
is not another sort: only there are some who give you trouble, desiring to
make changes in the good news of Christ. |
1:8 |
But
even if we, or an angel from heaven, were to be a preacher to you of good
news other than that which we have given you, let there be a curse on
him. |
1:9 |
As
we have said before, so say I now again, If any man is a preacher to you of
any good news other than that which has been given to you, let there be a
curse on him. |
1:10 |
Am
I now using arguments to men, or God? or is it my desire to give men
pleasure? if I was still pleasing men, I would not be a servant of
Christ. |
1:11 |
Because
I say to you, my brothers, that the good news of which I was the preacher is
not man's. |
1:12 |
For
I did not get it from man, and I was not given teaching in it, but it came to
me through revelation of Jesus Christ. |
1:13 |
For
news has come to you of my way of life in the past in the Jews' religion, how
I was cruel without measure to the church of God, and did great damage to
it: |
1:14 |
And
I went farther in the Jews' religion than a number of my generation among my
countrymen, having a more burning interest in the beliefs handed down from my
fathers. |
1:15 |
But
when it was the good pleasure of God, by whom I was marked out even from my
mother's body, through his grace, |
1:16 |
To
give the revelation of his Son in me, so that I might give the news of him to
the Gentiles; then I did not take the opinion of flesh and blood, |
1:17 |
And
I went not up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went
away into Arabia, and again I came back to Damascus. |
1:18 |
Then
after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas, and was there with
him fifteen days. |
1:19 |
But
of the other Apostles I saw only James, the Lord's brother. |
1:20 |
Now
God is witness that the things which I am writing to you are true. |
1:21 |
Then
I came to the parts of Syria and Cilicia. |
1:22 |
And
the churches of Judaea which were in Christ still had no knowledge of my face
or person: |
1:23 |
Only
it came to their ears that he who at one time was cruel to us is now
preaching the faith which before had been attacked by him; |
1:24 |
And they gave
glory to God in me. |
2:1 |
Then
after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas,
taking Titus with me. |
2:2 |
And
I went up by revelation; and I put before them the good news which I was
preaching among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were of good
name, so that the work which I was or had been doing might not be without
effect. |
2:3 |
But
not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was made to undergo
circumcision: |
2:4 |
And
that because of the False brothers let in secretly, who came searching out
our free condition which we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might make
servants of us; |
2:5 |
To
whom we gave way not even for an hour; so that the True words of the good
news might still be with you. |
2:6 |
But
from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with
me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be
important gave nothing new to me; |
2:7 |
But,
quite the opposite, when they saw that I had been made responsible for
preaching the good news to those without circumcision, even as Peter had been
for those of the circumcision |
2:8 |
(Because
he who was working in Peter as the Apostle of the circumcision was working no
less in me among the Gentiles); |
2:9 |
When
they saw the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who had
the name of being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands as
friends so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision; |
2:10 |
Only
it was their desire that we would give thought to the poor; which very thing
I had much in mind to do. |
2:11 |
But
when Cephas came to Antioch, I made a protest against him to his face,
because he was clearly in the wrong. |
2:12 |
For
before certain men came from James, he did take food with the Gentiles: but
when they came, he went back and made himself separate, fearing those who
were of the circumcision. |
2:13 |
And
the rest of the Jews went after him, so that even Barnabas was overcome by
their False ways. |
2:14 |
But
when I saw that they were not living uprightly in agreement with the True
words of the good news, I said to Cephas before them all, If you, being a
Jew, are living like the Gentiles, and not like the Jews, how will you make
the Gentiles do the same as the Jews? |
2:15 |
We being
Jews by birth, and not sinners of the Gentiles, |
2:16 |
Being
conscious that a man does not get righteousness by the works of the law, but
through faith in Jesus Christ, we had faith in Christ Jesus, so that we might
get righteousness by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law:
because by the works of the law will no flesh get righteousness. |
2:17 |
But
if, while we were desiring to get righteousness through Christ, we ourselves
were seen to be sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? In no way! |
2:18 |
For
if I put up again those things which I gave to destruction, I am seen to be a
wrongdoer. |
2:19 |
For
I, through the law, have become dead to the law, so that I might be living to
God. |
2:20 |
I
have been put to death on the cross with Christ; still I am living; no longer
I, but Christ is living in me; and that life which I now am living in the
flesh I am living by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who in love for me,
gave himself up for me. |
2:21 |
I
do not make the grace of God of no effect: because if righteousness is
through the law, then Christ was put to death for nothing. |
3:1 |
O
foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it
was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross? |
3:2 |
Give
me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? |
3:3 |
Are
you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made
complete in the flesh? |
3:4 |
Did
you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no
purpose. |
3:5 |
He
who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the
works of law, or by the hearing of faith? |
3:6 |
Even
as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as
righteousness. |
3:7 |
Be
certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of
Abraham. |
3:8 |
And
the holy Writings, seeing before the event that God would give the Gentiles
righteousness by faith, gave the good news before to Abraham, saying, In you
will all the nations have a blessing. |
3:9 |
So
then those who are of faith have a part in the blessing of Abraham who was
full of faith. |
3:10 |
For
all who are of the works of the law are under a curse: because it is said in
the Writings, A curse is on everyone who does not keep on doing all the
things which are ordered in the book of the law. |
3:11 |
Now
that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear;
because, The upright will be living by faith. |
3:12 |
And
the law is not of faith; but, He who does them will have life by them. |
3:13 |
Christ
has made us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us:
because it is said in the Writings, A curse on everyone who is put to death
by hanging on a tree: |
3:14 |
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. |
3:15 |
Brothers,
as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may
not be put on one side, or have additions made to it. |
3:16 |
Now
to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to
seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which
is Christ. |
3:17 |
Now
this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not
put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking
without effect. |
3:18 |
Because
if the heritage is by the law, it is no longer dependent on the word of God;
but God gave it to Abraham by his word. |
3:19 |
What
then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of
the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through
angels by the hand of a go-between. |
3:20 |
Now a
go-between is not a go-between of one; but God is one. |
3:21 |
Is
the law then against the words of God? in no way; because if there had been a
law which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the
law. |
3:22 |
However,
the holy Writings have put all things under sin, so that that for which God
gave the undertaking, based on faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those
who have such faith. |
3:23 |
But
before faith came, we were kept in prison under the law, waiting for the
revelation of the faith which was to come. |
3:24 |
So
the law has been a servant to take us to Christ, so that we might have
righteousness by faith. |
3:25 |
But
now that faith is come, we are no longer under a servant. |
3:26 |
Because
you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. |
3:27 |
For
all those of you who were given baptism into Christ did put on Christ. |
3:28 |
There
is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one
in Jesus Christ. |
3:29 |
And
if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and yours is the heritage
by the right of God's undertaking given to Abraham. |
4:1 |
But
I say that as long as the son is a child, he is in no way different from a
servant, though he is lord of all; |
4:2 |
But
is under keepers and managers till the time fixed by the father. |
4:3 |
So
we, when we were young, were kept under the first rules of the world; |
4:4 |
But
when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the
law, |
4:5 |
That
he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given
the place of sons. |
4:6 |
And
because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
saying, Abba, Father. |
4:7 |
So
that you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then the heritage
of God is yours. |
4:8 |
But
at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by
right are no gods: |
4:9 |
But
now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has
knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble
first things, desiring to be servants to them again? |
4:10 |
You keep
days, and months, and fixed times, and years. |
4:11 |
I
am in fear of you, that I may have been working for you to no purpose. |
4:12 |
My
desire for you, brothers, is that you may be as I am, because I am as you
are. You have done me no wrong; |
4:13 |
But
you have knowledge that with a feeble body I was preaching the good news to
you the first time; |
4:14 |
And
you did not have a poor opinion of me because of the trouble in my flesh, or
put shame on it; but you took me to your hearts as an angel of God, even as
Christ Jesus. |
4:15 |
Where
then is that happy condition of yours? because I give you witness, that, if
possible, you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me. |
4:16 |
So
then am I no longer your friend, because I give you True words? |
4:17 |
Their
interest in you is not good; but their desire is that you may be shut out, so
that you may go after them. |
4:18 |
But
it is good to have an interest in a good cause at all times, and not only
when I am present with you. |
4:19 |
My
children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in
you, |
4:20 |
Truly
my desire is to be present with you now, using a changed voice; for I am
troubled about you. |
4:21 |
Say,
you whose desire it is to be under the law, do you not give ear to the
law? |
4:22 |
Because
it is in the Writings, that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman,
and one by the free woman. |
4:23 |
Now
the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by
the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God. |
4:24 |
Which
things have a secret sense; because these women are the two agreements; one
from the mountain of Sinai, giving birth to servants, which is Hagar. |
4:25 |
Now
this Hagar is the mountain Sinai in Arabia, and is the image of the Jerusalem
which now is: which is a servant with her children. |
4:26 |
But the
Jerusalem on high is free, which is our mother. |
4:27 |
For
it is in the Writings, You who have never given birth, be glad; give cries of
joy, you who have had no birth-pains; for the children of her who has been
given up by her husband are more than those of the woman who has a husband. |
4:28 |
Now
we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of the undertaking of God. |
4:29 |
But
as in those days he who had birth after the flesh was cruel to him who had
birth after the Spirit, even so it is now. |
4:30 |
What
then do the Writings say? Send away the servant-woman and her son; for the
son of the servant-woman will not have a part in the heritage with the son of
the free woman. |
4:31 |
So,
brothers, we are not children of the servant-woman, but of the free
woman. |
5:1 |
Christ
has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a
yoke on you again. |
5:2 |
See,
I Paul say to you, that if you undergo circumcision, Christ will be of no use
to you. |
5:3 |
Yes,
I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will
have to keep all the law. |
5:4 |
You
are cut off from Christ, you who would have righteousness by the law; you are
turned away from grace. |
5:5 |
For
we through the Spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of
righteousness. |
5:6 |
Because
in Christ Jesus, having circumcision or not having circumcision are equally
of no profit; but only faith working through love. |
5:7 |
You
were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is
true? |
5:8 |
This
ready belief did not come from him who had made you his. |
5:9 |
A
little leaven makes a change in all the mass. |
5:10 |
I
am certain about you in the Lord, that you will be of no other mind; but he
who is troubling you will have his punishment, whoever he is. |
5:11 |
But
I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still attacked?
then has the shame of the cross been taken away. |
5:12 |
My
desire is that they who give you trouble might even be cut off
themselves. |
5:13 |
Because
you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free
condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to
another. |
5:14 |
For
all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your
neighbour as for yourself. |
5:15 |
But
if you are given to fighting with one another, take care that you are not the
cause of destruction one to another. |
5:16 |
But
I say, Go on in the Spirit, and you will not come under the rule of the evil
desires of the flesh. |
5:17 |
For
the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
because these are opposite the one to the other; so that you may not do the
things which you have a mind to do. |
5:18 |
But
if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. |
5:19 |
Now
the works of the flesh are clear, which are these: evil desire, unclean
things, wrong use of the senses, |
5:20 |
Worship
of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another
has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, False
teachings, |
5:21 |
Envy,
uncontrolled drinking and feasting, and such things: of which I give you word
clearly, even as I did in the past, that they who do such things will have no
part in the kingdom of God. |
5:22 |
But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, a quiet mind, kind acts,
well-doing, faith, |
5:23 |
Gentle
behaviour, control over desires: against such there is no law. |
5:24 |
And
those who are Christ's have put to death on the cross the flesh with its
passions and its evil desires. |
5:25 |
If
we are living by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us be guided. |
5:26 |
Let
us not be full of self-glory, making one another angry, having envy of one
another. |
6:1 |
Brothers,
if a man is taken in any wrongdoing, you who are of the Spirit will put such
a one right in a spirit of love; keeping watch on yourself, for fear that you
yourself may be tested. |
6:2 |
Take
on yourselves one another's troubles, and so keep the law of Christ. |
6:3 |
For
if a man has an idea that he is something when he is nothing, he is tricked
by himself. |
6:4 |
But
let every man make test of his work, and then will his cause for glory be in
himself only, and not in his neighbour. |
6:5 |
Because
every man is responsible for his part of the work. |
6:6 |
But
let him who gets teaching in the word give a part in all good things to his
teacher. |
6:7 |
Be
not tricked; God is not made sport of: for whatever seed a man puts in, that
will he get back as grain. |
6:8 |
Because
he who puts in the seed of the flesh will of the flesh get the reward of
death; but he who puts in the seed of the Spirit will of the Spirit get the
reward of eternal life. |
6:9 |
And
let us not get tired of well-doing; for at the right time we will get in the
grain, if we do not give way to weariness. |
6:10 |
So
then, as we have the chance, let us do good to all men, and specially to
those who are of the family of the faith. |
6:11 |
See
the size of the handwriting which I myself have made use of in writing to
you. |
6:12 |
Those
who have the desire to seem important in the flesh, put force on you to
undergo circumcision; only that they may not be attacked because of the cross
of Christ. |
6:13 |
Because
even those who undergo circumcision do not themselves keep the law; but they
would have you undergo circumcision, so that they may have glory in your
flesh. |
6:14 |
But
far be it from me to have glory in anything, but only in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, through which this world has come to an end on the cross
for me, and I for it. |
6:15 |
For
having circumcision is nothing, and not having circumcision is nothing, but
only a new order of existence. |
6:16 |
And
on all who are guided by this rule be peace and mercy, and on the Israel of
God. |
6:17 |
From
this time on let no man be a trouble to me; because my body is marked with
the marks of Jesus. |
6:18 |
The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. So be it. |
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