GALATIANS (ΠΡΟΣ ΓΑΛΑΤΑΣ)

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Paul, an apostle (sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who 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, ⁴who gave himself for our sins, so that he might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father – ⁵to whom be the glory unto ages of ages! Amen.

A different “Good News”

⁶I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ in order to embrace a different “Good News” – ⁷and there is no other “Good News!” Yet, there are some who disturb you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. ⁸Now, even if ourselves or an angel from heaven should preach to you any “Good News” that is not what we preached to you, let such a one be accursed!^{1764 9}We have said it before and now I say it again: if anyone preaches to you any other “Good News” than what you received, let such a one be accursed! ¹⁰I am now seeking to please God or people? I am striving to please human beings? But if I was still trying to please men, then I would not be a servant of Christ!

Paul’s account

¹¹As regards the Good News which I preached, I proclaimed this to you, brethren, that it is not of human origin. ¹²I did not receive it from man and I was not taught [this Good News] by man, but it came to me through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³You have heard about how I used to live in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure, and how I ravaged it. ¹⁴I advanced in the Jewish religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, as I was more extremely zealous for the traditions of my forefathers. ¹⁵But when it was the good pleasure of God, (who had set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, ¹⁶to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles), I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood: ¹⁷I did not go up to Jerusalem to visit those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Later on, I returned to Damascus. ¹⁸Then, after three years, I did go up to Jerusalem to visit Peter and I stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹However, I did not see any of the other apostles,¹⁷⁶⁵ except James, ‘the Lord’s brother.’^{1766 20}Now, regarding the things which I write to you, you can see that I am not lying before God. ²¹After that, I visited the districts of Syria and Cilicia. ²²My face was still unknown to the Churches of Judea which were in Christ; ²³they only heard, “The one who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith that he once tried to destroy!” ²⁴And they glorified God in me.

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Fourteen years later, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus accompanied me. ²I went up by revelation and I presented to them¹⁷⁶⁷ the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles. I did so in private in front of those who were recognized leaders, for fear that I might be running (or had been running) in vain. ³But even though Titus (who was with me) was a Greek, he was not compelled to be circumcised. ⁴This occurred because false brethren were secretly brought in, and they sneaked in to spy on the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery. ⁵But in this regard, we gave them no room, not even for an hour, so that the truth of the Good News might continue with you. ⁶As far as the recognized leaders are concerned (what they were¹⁷⁶⁸ {before} makes no difference to me; God does not discriminate), I can say that those who were respected added nothing to me. ⁷Instead, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, just as Peter [had been entrusted] with the Good News for those who are circumcised ⁸(since he who appointed Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision also appointed me to the Gentiles); ⁹and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James, Kephas¹⁷⁶⁹ and John who were considered as pillars gave to Barnabas and myself the right hand of fellowship, [showing] that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to those who are circumcised. ¹⁰They only asked us to remember the poor¹⁷⁷⁰ – which is the very thing that I was eager to do.

Paul confronts Kephas (Peter) in Antioch

¹¹However, when Kephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹²Before some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision! ¹³Moreover, the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy! ¹⁴When I saw that their behavior was not consistent with the truth of the gospel,¹⁷⁷¹ I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?

Faith and the works of the law

¹⁵As for us, being Jews by nature and not Gentile sinners, ¹⁶yet knowing that no one is justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, we believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. ¹⁷But if, even though we desired to be justified in Christ, we were found to be sinners, does that mean that Christ is a servant of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸Indeed, if I build up again those things which I [once] destroyed, I show that I am breaking the law. ¹⁹For I, through the law, died to the law, so that I might live to God. ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. I now live this life in the flesh, but I live [it] by faith in the Son of God who loved me and who gave himself up for me. ²¹I do not nullify the grace of God! For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”

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Senseless Galatians! Christ was openly presented to you as crucified – who then bewitched you not to obey the truth?^{1772 2}I just want to hear this from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard? ³Are you that senseless that having begun in the Spirit, you now end in the flesh? ⁴Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain? ⁵He¹⁷⁷³ who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? ⁶Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness”. ⁷Know,¹⁷⁷⁴ therefore, that those who are of faith are likewise Abraham’s children. ⁸As foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, the Scripture announced the future Good News to Abraham by saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed”.^{1775 9}And so, those of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. ¹⁰But those who depend on the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who does not persevere in all the things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.^{1776 11}Now, it is obvious that no one is justified by the law before God, because “The righteous will live by faith”.^{1777 12}The law is not of faith, but, “The one who does these things will live by them”.¹⁷⁷⁸

The law and the promise

¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for our sake. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”.^{1779 14}so that Abraham’s blessing might also come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, and that we might {all} receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. ¹⁵Brethren, even speaking of a human example; when a person’s will has been confirmed, it cannot be cancelled or altered (even though it is only a human contract). ¹⁶Now, the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. [Notice that] he does not say, “to seeds”, as if there were many, but as of one, “to your seed”.¹⁷⁸⁰ which is Christ. ¹⁷What I am saying is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years after the covenant previously confirmed by God in Christ, does not cancel it to make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸If the inheritance comes from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but in fact, God granted it to Abraham by way of a promise.

¹⁹What then is the law about? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed to whom the promise had been made should come, and it was established through the angels, by the hand of a mediator. ²⁰Now, there is no mediator when there is only one party, and God is one. ²¹Therefore, is the law against God’s [own] promises? Certainly not! If a law had been given which could make alive, then certainly, righteousness would have been from the law. ²²But in fact, the Scriptures declared all things to be captive under sin, so that the promise might be given to those who believe, that is by faith in Jesus Christ. ²³Nevertheless, before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, locked up to wait for the faith which would later on be revealed. ²⁴Hence, the law was our tutor which was to bring us to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, ²⁶and you are all God’s children, through faith in Christ Jesus! ²⁷For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

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Free children

Here is my point: as long as the heir is a child, he is no different than a slave, although being the owner of everything. ²The heir is under tutors and trustees until the day appointed by the father. ³Likewise, when we too were children, we were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. ⁴But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, ⁵so that he might redeem those who were under the law and so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent forth the Spirit¹⁷⁸¹ of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba,¹⁷⁸² Father!” ⁷Now, you are no longer slaves, but children; and if [you are] children, then [you are] heirs of God through Christ.

Return to slavery

⁸In the past, as you did not know God, you were in bondage to those who by nature¹⁷⁸³ are not gods. ⁹But now that you have come to know God, or rather come to be known by God, why do you return to the weak and miserable primordial forces¹⁷⁸⁴ whose slaves you want to be all over again? ¹⁰You observe days, months, seasons, and years... ¹¹I am afraid concerning you, that I may have wasted my labor for you. ¹²I beg you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have never treated me wrongly, ¹³but you know that it was an illness that first gave me an opportunity to preach the Good News to you. ¹⁴Even though my condition was a trial for you, you did not despise nor reject me; instead, you received me as an angel¹⁷⁸⁵ of God, even as Christ Jesus!

¹⁵What has happened to the blessing you enjoyed? Indeed, I bear witness to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me! ¹⁶And now, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹⁷Those people pursue you, but not for good. No, they desire to cut you off from us, so that you might eagerly seek after them. ¹⁸But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, not only when I am present with you!

¹⁹My little children, I am again in labor over you, until Christ is formed in you! ²⁰I wish that I could be with you in person now, to change my tone, because I am confused about you. ²¹Tell me, since you desire to be under the law, {why} do you not listen to the law?

Two mountains

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.^{1786 23}However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through a promise. ²⁴These things contain an allegory¹⁷⁸⁷ which represents two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to slavery, and that is Hagar. ²⁵This Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and it corresponds to the Jerusalem that exists now, in slavery with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and the mother of us all. ²⁷As it is written:

Rejoice, you barren [woman] who bears no child;¹⁷⁸⁸

Break forth and shout, you that do not travail.

For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.¹⁷⁸⁹

²⁸Brethren, we are, just as Isaac, children of promise, ²⁹and it is now as it was then: the one who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit.¹⁷⁹⁰ So it is even now! ³⁰However, what does the Scripture say?

Throw out the servant-girl and her son,

because the son of the servant will not inherit

with the son of the free woman.¹⁷⁹¹

³¹And so, brethren, we are not children of a servant, but children of the free woman!

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Freedom in Christ or yoke of slavery

Therefore, stand firm in the freedom by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of slavery! ²Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no profit to you! ³Yes, once again, I testify to everyone who receives circumcision that he is [now] under duty to accomplish the entire law! ⁴You who desire to be justified by the law are no longer under Christ: you have fallen away from grace. ⁵As for us, through the Spirit, we wait by faith for the hope of righteousness, ⁶since in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value,¹⁷⁹² only faith working through love. ⁷You were running so well! Who came to block your way so that you would not obey the truth? ⁸This persuasion is not from him who calls you! ⁹[Remember], a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough! ¹⁰I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will take no other view; but whoever troubles you will bear his [own] judgment, whoever that [person] may be.

¹¹But brother, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? If it were so, the stumbling block of the cross would have been removed. ¹²Indeed, I wish that those who disturb you would then emasculate themselves! ¹³As for you, brethren, you were called to freedom! Only, do not use your freedom to satisfy the flesh, but through love, become each others’ servants ¹⁴because the whole law is fulfilled in one message,¹⁷⁹³ which is this one, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”.^{1794 15}But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you do not end up in mutual destruction. ¹⁶I say this: walk by the Spirit,¹⁷⁹⁵ and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷What the {fallen} flesh desires is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh! Yes, these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you desire. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The works of the flesh

¹⁹Now, the works of the flesh are obvious. They are: adultery, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, ²⁰idolatry, the practice of magic, hatred, strife, selfish ambitions, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, ²¹envyings, murders, excess drinking, orgies, and similar things. About these, I warn you, as I have done in the past: those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

The fruit of the Spirit – Life in the Church

²²On the other hand, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,^{1796 23}gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law! ²⁴Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit! ²⁶Let us not become arrogant, challenging and envying one another.

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Brethren, even if someone is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. But watch out for yourself in order not to be tempted. ²Bear each others’ burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. ³If anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴But let everyone test his own work: then one can take pride in himself, not by comparison with someone else. ⁵Yes, each one will bear his own burden, ⁶but everyone who is being taught in the word should share all good things with the one¹⁷⁹⁷ who teaches.

⁷Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked; whatever someone sows is what he will reap. ⁸Whoever sows to the field of self-indulgence will reap corruption from the flesh. But the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. ⁹Let us not grow tired of doing what is good, for we will reap in due season, if we do not give up. ¹⁰And so, as we have the opportunity, let us do what is good toward all, especially to those who belong to the household of the faith.

¹¹See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand! ¹²It is those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh who are trying to compel you to be circumcised; and it only so that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³Even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast¹⁷⁹⁸ in your flesh. ¹⁴As for me, I shall find glory¹⁷⁹⁹ in nothing, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. ¹⁵In Christ Jesus, circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; only a new creation {is significant}. ¹⁶To those who live by this rule, may there be peace and mercy upon them, and on the Israel of God. ¹⁷From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord¹⁸⁰⁰ Jesus branded on my body. ¹⁸May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.