Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through
man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the
dead), and all the brethren that are with me,
unto the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and
peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins, that he might
deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our
God and Father: to whom be the glory for
ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so
quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a
different gospel; which is not another
gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the
gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from
heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we
preached unto you, let him be anathema. 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.
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of
God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I
should not be a servant of Christ. For I make
known to you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me,
that it is not after man. For neither did I
receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through
revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of
my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond
measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it:
and I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many
of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for
the traditions of my fathers. But when it was
the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother's
womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal
his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I
conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went
I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away
into Arabia; and again I returned unto Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to
visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days.
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James
the Lord's brother. Now touching the things
which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
Then I came unto the regions of Syria and
Cilicia. And I was still unknown by face unto
the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: but
they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of
which he once made havoc; and they glorified God
in me.
Then after the space of fourteen years I went up
again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.
And I went up by revelation; and I laid before
them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before
them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had
run, in vain. But not even Titus who was with me,
being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
and that because of the false brethren privily
brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in
Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
to whom we gave place in the way of subjection,
no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
But from those who were reputed to be somewhat
(whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man's
person)-- they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:
but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been
intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the
gospel of the circumcision (for he that
wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me
also unto the Gentiles); and when they perceived
the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were
reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of
fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the
circumcision; only they would that we
should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him
to the face, because he stood condemned. For
before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when
they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of
the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews
dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away
with their dissimulation. But when I saw that
they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said
unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the
Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live
as do the Jews? We being Jews by nature, and not
sinners of the Gentiles, yet knowing that a man
is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus
Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by
faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of
the law shall no flesh be justified. But if,
while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found
sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.
For if I build up again those things which I
destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor. For I
through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God.
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no
longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I
now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
I do not make void the grace of God: for if
righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nought.
O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before
whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?
This only would I learn from you. Received ye the
Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit,
are ye now perfected in the flesh? Did ye suffer
so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.
He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit,
and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham
believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
Know therefore that they that are of faith, the
same are sons of Abraham. And the scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the
gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the
nations be blessed. So then they that are of
faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. For
as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is
written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are
written in the book of the law, to do them. Now
that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The
righteous shall live by faith; and the law is
not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law,
having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree: that upon the Gentiles might
come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the
promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I
speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when
it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.
Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to
his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to
thy seed, which is Christ. Now this I say: A
covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and
thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none
effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it
is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.
What then is the law? It was added because of
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been
made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one;
but God is one. Is the law then against the
promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could
make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.
But the scriptures shut up all things under sin,
that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe. But before faith came, we were kept in
ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be
revealed. So that the law is become our tutor
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But now faith that is come, we are no longer
under a tutor. For ye are all sons of God,
through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of
you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be
neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one
man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he
differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
but is under guardians and stewards until the day
appointed of the father. So we also, when we were
children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:
but when the fulness of the time came, God sent
forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
that he might redeem them that were under the
law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a
son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in
bondage to them that by nature are no gods: but
now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn
ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to
be in bondage over again? Ye observe days, and
months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid of
you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
I beseech you, brethren, become as I am,
for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:
but ye know that because of an infirmity of the
flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:
and that which was a temptation to you in my
flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of
God, even as Christ Jesus. Where then is
that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible,
ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
So then am I become your enemy, by telling you
the truth? They zealously seek you in no good
way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
But it is good to be zealously sought in a good
matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
My little children, of whom I am again in
travail until Christ be formed in you-- but I
could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am
perplexed about you. Tell me, ye that desire to
be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it
is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the
freewoman. Howbeit the son by the
handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman
is born through promise. Which things
contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from
mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and
answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her
children. But the Jerusalem that is above is
free, which is our mother. For it is written,
Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not;
Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not:
For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the
husband.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of
promise. But as then he that was born after the
flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is
now. Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out
the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit
with the son of the freewoman. Wherefore,
brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.
For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast
therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive
circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth
circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified
by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. For we
through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth
anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.
Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye
should not obey the truth? This persuasion
came not of him that calleth you. A little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have
confidence to you-ward in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded:
but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision,
why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been
done away. I would that they that unsettle you
would even go beyond circumcision. For ye,
brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an
occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word,
even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed
that ye be not consumed one of another. But I
say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other;
that ye may not do the things that ye would. But
if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which
are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies,
wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I
did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
meekness, self-control; against such there is no
law. And they that are of Christ Jesus have
crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.
If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us
also walk. Let us not become vainglorious,
provoking one another, envying one another.
Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any
trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of
gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the
law of Christ. For if a man thinketh himself to
be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
But let each man prove his own work, and then
shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his
neighbor. For each man shall bear his own burden.
But let him that is taught in the word
communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of
the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the
Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not be weary
in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
So then, as we have opportunity, let us work
that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of
the household of the faith. See with how large
letters I write unto you with mine own hand. As
many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be
circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
For not even they who receive circumcision do
themselves keep the law; but they desire to have you circumcised, that
they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from
me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the
world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
For neither is circumcision anything, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many
as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon
the Israel of God. Henceforth, let no man
trouble me; for I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit, brethren. Amen.
HTML generated 17 October 2002.
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