2 Corinthians 13 - Galatians 6

New American Standard Bible

Examine Yourselves

13 ^(A)This is the third time that I am coming to you. ^(B)On the ^[a]testimony of two or three witnesses every matter shall be confirmed. ² I have previously said when I was present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have ^(C)sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that ^(D)if I come again I will not ^(E)spare anyone, ³ since you are ^(F)seeking proof of the ^(G)Christ who speaks in me, who is not weak toward you, but ^(H)mighty in you. ⁴ For indeed He was ^(I)crucified because of weakness, yet He lives ^(J)because of the power of God. For we too are ^(K)weak ^[b]in Him, yet ^(L)we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.

^5 (M)Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; ^(N)examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you ^[c](O)fail the test? ⁶ But I expect that you will realize that we ourselves ^[d]do not fail the test. ⁷ Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong; not so that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, though we may ^[e]appear unapproved. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ For we rejoice when we ourselves are ^(P)weak, but you are strong; this we also pray for, ^[f]that you ^(Q)become mature. ¹⁰ For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present ^(R)I need not use ^(S)severity, in accordance with the ^(T)authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

^11 (U)Finally, brothers and sisters, ^[g]rejoice, ^(V)mend your ways, be comforted, ^(W)be like-minded, ^(X)live in peace; and ^(Y)the God of love and peace will be with you. ^12 (Z)Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^13 (AA)All the ^[h]saints greet you.

^14 (AB)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the ^(AC)love of God, and the ^(AD)fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Introduction

1 Paul, ^(AE)an apostle (^(AF)not sent from men nor through human agency, but ^(AG)through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who ^(AH)raised Him from the dead), ² and all ^(AI)the brothers who are with me,

To ^(AJ)the churches of Galatia:

^3 (AK)Grace to you and peace from ^[i]God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who ^(AL)gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from ^(AM)this present evil ^[j]age, according to the will of ^(AN)our God and Father, ^5 (AO)to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Distortion of the Gospel

⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting ^(AP)Him who called you ^[k]by the grace of Christ, for a ^(AQ)different gospel, ⁷ which is not just another account; but there are some who are ^(AR)disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or ^(AS)an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be ^[l](AT)accursed! ⁹ As we ^(AU)have said before, even now I say again: ^(AV)if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be ^[m](AW)accursed!

¹⁰ For am I now ^(AX)seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a ^(AY)bond-servant of Christ.

Paul Defends His Ministry

¹¹ For ^(AZ)I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is ^(BA)not ^[n]of human invention. ¹² For ^(BB)I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a ^(BC)revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ For you have heard of ^(BD)my former way of life in Judaism, how I ^(BE)used to persecute ^(BF)the church of God beyond measure and ^(BG)tried to destroy it; ¹⁴ and I ^(BH)was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my ^[o]countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ^(BI)ancestral traditions. ¹⁵ But when ^[p]He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and ^(BJ)called me through His grace was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me so that I might ^(BK)preach Him among the Gentiles, ^(BL)I did not immediately consult with ^[q](BM)flesh and blood, ^17 (BN)nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to ^(BO)Damascus.

¹⁸ Then ^(BP)three years later I went up ^(BQ)to Jerusalem to ^[r]become acquainted with ^[s](BR)Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see another one of the apostles except ^[t](BS)James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ (Now in what I am writing to you, ^[u]I assure you ^(BT)before God that I am not lying.) ²¹ Then ^(BU)I went into the regions of ^(BV)Syria and ^(BW)Cilicia. ²² I was still unknown by ^[v]sight to ^(BX)the churches of Judea which are ^(BY)in Christ; ²³ but they only kept hearing, “The man who once persecuted us is now preaching ^(BZ)the faith which he once ^(CA)tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they ^(CB)were glorifying God ^[w]because of me.

The Council at Jerusalem

2 Then after an interval of fourteen years I ^(CC)went up again to Jerusalem with ^(CD)Barnabas, taking ^(CE)Titus along also. ^2 [x]It was because of a ^(CF)revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the ^(CG)gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that somehow I might be ^(CH)running, or had run, in vain. ³ But not even ^(CI)Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was ^(CJ)compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ Yet it was a concern because of the ^(CK)false brothers secretly brought in, who ^(CL)had sneaked in to spy on our ^(CM)freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to ^(CN)enslave us. ⁵ But we did not yield in subjection to them, even for an hour, so that ^(CO)the truth of the gospel would remain with you. ⁶ But from those who ^[y]were of considerable ^(CP)repute (what they were makes no difference to me; ^(CQ)God shows no favoritism)—well, those who were of repute contributed nothing to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, seeing that I had been ^(CR)entrusted with the ^(CS)gospel ^[z]to the uncircumcised, just as ^(CT)Peter had been ^[aa]to the circumcised ⁸ (for He who was at work for Peter in his ^(CU)apostleship ^[ab]to the circumcised was at work for me also to the Gentiles), ⁹ and recognizing ^(CV)the grace that had been given to me, ^[ac](CW)James and ^[ad](CX)Cephas and John, who were ^(CY)reputed to be ^(CZ)pillars, gave to me and ^(DA)Barnabas the ^(DB)right ^[ae]hand of fellowship, so that we might ^(DC)go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They only asked us to remember the poor—^(DD)the very thing I also was eager to do.

Peter (Cephas) Opposed by Paul

¹¹ But when ^(DE)Cephas came to ^(DF)Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he ^[af]stood condemned. ¹² For prior to the coming of some men from ^[ag](DG)James, he used to ^(DH)eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, ^(DI)fearing those from the circumcision. ¹³ The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even ^(DJ)Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they ^(DK)were not ^[ah]straightforward about ^(DL)the truth of the gospel, I said to ^(DM)Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, ^(DN)live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?^[ai]

¹⁵ “We are ^(DO)Jews by nature and not ^(DP)sinners from the Gentiles; ¹⁶ nevertheless, knowing that ^(DQ)a person is not justified by works of ^[aj]the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by ^(DR)faith in Christ and not by works of ^[ak]the Law; since ^(DS)by works of ^[al]the Law no ^[am]flesh will be justified. ¹⁷ But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found ^(DT)sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? ^[an](DU)Far from it! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I ^(DV)prove myself to be a wrongdoer. ¹⁹ For through ^[ao]the Law I ^(DW)died to ^[ap]the Law, so that I might live for God. ²⁰ I have been ^(DX)crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but ^(DY)Christ lives in me; and ^[aq]the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in ^(DZ)the Son of God, who ^(EA)loved me and ^(EB)gave Himself up for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for ^(EC)if righteousness comes through ^[ar]the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Faith Brings Righteousness

3 ^[as]You foolish ^(ED)Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ ^(EE)was publicly portrayed as crucified? ² This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of ^[at]the Law, or by ^(EF)hearing ^[au]with faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun ^[av]by the Spirit, are you now ^[aw]being perfected by the flesh? ⁴ Did you ^[ax]suffer so many things in vain—^(EG)if indeed it was in vain? ⁵ So then, does He who ^(EH)provides you with the Spirit and ^(EI)works ^[ay]miracles among you, do it by works of ^[az]the Law, or by ^(EJ)hearing ^[ba]with faith?

⁶ Just as ^(EK)Abraham ^(EL)believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. ⁷ Therefore, recognize that ^(EM)it is those who are of faith who are ^(EN)sons of Abraham. ⁸ The Scripture, foreseeing that God ^[bb]would justify the ^[bc]Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “^(EO)All the nations will be blessed in you.” ⁹ So then, ^(EP)those who are of faith are blessed with ^[bd]Abraham, the believer.

¹⁰ For all who are of works of ^[be]the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “^(EQ)Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” ¹¹ Now, that ^(ER)no one is justified ^[bf]by ^[bg]the Law before God is evident; for, “^[bh](ES)the righteous one will live by faith.” ^12 [bi]However, the Law is not ^[bj]of faith; on the contrary, “^(ET)The person who performs ^[bk]them will live by ^[bl]them.” ¹³ Christ ^(EU)redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “^(EV)Cursed is everyone who hangs on ^(EW)a ^[bm]tree”— ¹⁴ in order that ^(EX)in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we ^(EY)would receive ^(EZ)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

^15 (FA)Brothers and sisters, ^(FB)I speak ^[bn]in terms of human relations: ^(FC)even though it is only a man’s ^[bo]covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds ^[bp]conditions to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken ^(FD)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “^(FE)And to your seed,” that is, Christ. ¹⁷ What I am saying is this: the Law, which came ^(FF)430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For ^(FG)if the inheritance is ^[bq]based on law, it is no longer ^[br]based on a promise; but ^(FH)God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

^19 (FI)Why the Law then? It was added on account of the ^[bs]violations, having been ^(FJ)ordered through angels ^(FK)at the hand of a ^[bt]mediator, until ^(FL)the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰ Now ^(FM)a mediator is not ^[bu]for one party only; but God is only one. ²¹ Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? ^[bv](FN)Far from it! For ^(FO)if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness ^[bw]would indeed have been ^[bx]based on law. ²² But the Scripture has ^(FP)confined ^[by]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

²³ But before faith came, ^[bz]we were kept in custody under the Law, ^(FQ)being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the Law has become our ^[ca](FR)guardian to lead us to Christ, so that ^(FS)we may be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a ^[cb](FT)guardian. ²⁶ For you are all ^(FU)sons and daughters of God through faith in ^(FV)Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were ^(FW)baptized into Christ have ^(FX)clothed yourselves with Christ. ^28 (FY)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is ^[cc]neither male nor female; for ^(FZ)you are all one in ^(GA)Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if ^(GB)you ^[cd]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s ^[ce]descendants, heirs according to ^(GC)promise.

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^[cf]child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is ^[cg]owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and ^[ch]managers until the ^[ci]date set by the father. ³ So we too, when we were children, were held ^(GD)in bondage under the ^[cj](GE)elementary principles of the world. ⁴ But when ^(GF)the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, ^(GG)born of a woman, born ^(GH)under ^[ck]the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under ^[cl]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^(GI)sons and daughters. ⁶ Because you are sons, ^(GJ)God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “^(GK)Abba! ^[cm]Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^(GL)if a son, then an heir ^[cn]through God.

⁸ However at that time, ^(GM)when you did not know God, you were ^(GN)slaves to ^(GO)those which by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be ^(GP)known by God, ^(GQ)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^[co](GR)elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You ^(GS)meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^[cp]over you in vain.

¹² I beg of you, ^(GT)brothers and sisters, ^(GU)become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; ¹³ but you know that it was because of a ^[cq]bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the ^[cr]first time; ¹⁴ and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my ^[cs]bodily condition, nor express contempt, but ^(GV)you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵ Where then is ^[ct]that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ So have I become your enemy ^(GW)by ^[cu]telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They eagerly seek you, not ^[cv]in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them. ¹⁸ But it is good always to be eagerly sought ^[cw]in a commendable way, and ^(GX)not only when I am present with you. ^19 (GY)My children, with whom ^(GZ)I am again in labor until ^(HA)Christ is formed in you— ²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for ^(HB)I am at a loss about you!

Slave and Free

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ^(HC)listen to the Law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^(HD)one by the slave woman and ^(HE)one by the free woman. ²³ But ^(HF)the son by the slave woman ^[cx]was born according to the flesh, and ^(HG)the son by the free woman through the promise. ^24 [cy](HH)This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from ^(HI)Mount Sinai giving birth to children ^[cz]who are to be ^(HJ)slaves; ^[da]she is Hagar. ²⁵ Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. ²⁶ But ^(HK)the Jerusalem above is free; ^[db]she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ And you, brothers and sisters, ^(HM)like Isaac, are ^(HN)children of promise. ²⁹ But as at that time ^(HO)the son who was born according to the flesh ^(HP)persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, ^(HQ)so it is even now. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say?

³¹ So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.

Follow the Spirit

5 ^(HT)It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore ^(HU)keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a ^(HV)yoke of slavery.

² Look! I, ^(HW)Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves ^(HX)circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³ And I ^(HY)testify again to every man who has himself ^(HZ)circumcised, that he is obligated to ^(IA)keep the whole Law. ⁴ You have been severed from Christ, you who ^[dc]are seeking to be justified by the ^[dd]Law; you have ^(IB)fallen from grace. ⁵ For we, ^[de]through the Spirit, ^[df]by faith, are ^(IC)waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in ^(ID)Christ Jesus ^(IE)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ^(IF)faith working through love.

⁷ You were ^(IG)running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion did not come from ^(IH)Him who calls you. ^9 (II)A little ^[dg]leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. ^10 (IJ)I have confidence ^[dh]in you in the Lord, that you ^(IK)will adopt no other view; but the one who is ^(IL)disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. ¹¹ But as for me, brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still ^(IM)persecuted? Then ^(IN)the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. ¹² I wish that ^(IO)those who are troubling you would even ^[di](IP)emasculate themselves.

¹³ For you were called to ^(IQ)freedom, brothers and sisters; ^(IR)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but ^(IS)serve one another through love. ¹⁴ For ^(IT)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “^(IU)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you ^(IV)bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

¹⁶ But I say, ^(IW)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out ^(IX)the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(IY)the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, ^(IZ)in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are ^(JA)led by the Spirit, ^(JB)you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ^(JC)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, ²⁰ idolatry, ^(JD)witchcraft, hostilities, ^(JE)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ^(JF)selfish ambition, dissensions, ^(JG)factions, ²¹ envy, ^(JH)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ^(JI)inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But ^(JJ)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(JK)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, ^(JL)self-control; against such things ^(JM)there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who ^[dj]belong to ^(JN)Christ Jesus ^(JO)crucified the flesh with its passions and ^(JP)desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow ^(JQ)the Spirit as well. ²⁶ Let’s not become ^(JR)boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

6 ^(JS)Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are ^(JT)spiritual are to ^(JU)restore such a person ^(JV)in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. ^2 (JW)Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill ^(JX)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(JY)if anyone thinks that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But each one must ^(JZ)examine his own work, and then he will have reason for ^(KA)boasting, but ^[dk]to himself alone, and not ^[dl]to another. ⁵ For ^(KB)each one will bear his own load.

^6 (KC)The one who is taught ^(KD)the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. ^7 (KE)Do not be deceived, ^(KF)God is not mocked; for ^(KG)whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. ^8 (KH)For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap ^(KI)destruction from the flesh, but ^(KJ)the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. ^9 (KK)Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we ^(KL)do not become weary. ¹⁰ So then, ^[dm](KM)while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the ^(KN)household of ^(KO)the faith.

¹¹ See with what large letters I have written to you ^(KP)with my own hand! ¹² All who want ^(KQ)to make a good showing in the flesh try to ^(KR)compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they ^(KS)will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For those who ^[dn]are circumcised do not even ^(KT)keep ^[do]the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may ^(KU)boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But ^(KV)[dp]far be it from me to boast, ^(KW)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(KX)through ^[dq]which the world has been crucified to me, and ^(KY)I to the world. ¹⁵ For ^(KZ)neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a ^(LA)new ^[dr]creation. ¹⁶ And all who will follow this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the ^(LB)Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the ^[ds](LC)marks of Jesus.

^18 (LD)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be ^(LE)with your spirit, ^(LF)brothers and sisters. Amen.