2 Corinthians 13 - Galatians 4

New King James Version

Coming with Authority

13 This will be ^(A)the third time I am coming to you. ^(B)“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” ^2 (C)I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent ^[a]I write to those ^(D)who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again ^(E)I will not spare— ³ since you seek a proof of Christ ^(F)speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty ^(G)in you. ^4 (H)For though He was crucified in weakness, yet ^(I)He lives by the power of God. For ^(J)we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

⁵ Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, ^(K)that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you ^[b]are ^(L)disqualified. ⁶ But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Paul Prefers Gentleness

⁷ Now ^[c]I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though ^(M)we may seem disqualified. ⁸ For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹ For we are glad ^(N)when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, ^(O)that you may be made complete. ^10 (P)Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the ^(Q)authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

Greetings and Benediction

¹¹ Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. ^(R)Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love ^(S)and peace will be with you.

^12 (T)Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³ All the saints greet you.

^14 (U)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and ^(V)the ^[d]communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but ^(W)through Jesus Christ and God the Father ^(X)who raised Him from the dead), ² and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

³ Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, ^4 (Y)who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us ^(Z)from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Only One Gospel

⁶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon ^(AA)from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ^7 (AB)which is not another; but there are some ^(AC)who trouble you and want to ^(AD)pervert^[e] the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if ^(AE)we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be ^[f]accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you ^(AF)than what you have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For ^(AG)do I now ^(AH)persuade men, or God? Or ^(AI)do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Call to Apostleship^(AJ)

^11 (AK)But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹² For ^(AL)I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came ^(AM)through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how ^(AN)I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and ^(AO)tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, ^(AP)being more exceedingly zealous ^(AQ)for the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵ But when it pleased God, ^(AR)who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, ^16 (AS)to reveal His Son in me, that ^(AT)I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with ^(AU)flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Contacts at Jerusalem^(AV)

¹⁸ Then after three years ^(AW)I went up to Jerusalem to see ^[g]Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But ^(AX)I saw none of the other apostles except ^(AY)James, the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

^21 (AZ)Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which ^(BA)were in Christ. ²³ But they were ^(BB)hearing only, “He who formerly ^(BC)persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they ^(BD)glorified God in me.

Defending the Gospel^(BE)

2 Then after fourteen years ^(BF)I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. ² And I went up ^[h]by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but ^(BG)privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means ^(BH)I might run, or had run, in vain. ³ Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴ And this occurred because of ^(BI)false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our ^(BJ)liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, ^(BK)that they might bring us into bondage), ⁵ to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that ^(BL)the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

⁶ But from those ^(BM)who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; ^(BN)God ^[i]shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something ^(BO)added nothing to me. ⁷ But on the contrary, ^(BP)when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised ^(BQ)had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter ⁸ (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the ^(BR)circumcised ^(BS)also ^(BT)worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), ⁹ and when James, ^[j]Cephas, and John, who seemed to be ^(BU)pillars, perceived ^(BV)the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, ^(BW)that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ They desired only that we should remember the poor, ^(BX)the very thing which I also was eager to do.

No Return to the Law

^11 (BY)Now when ^[k]Peter had come to Antioch, I ^[l]withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹² for before certain men came from James, ^(BZ)he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing ^[m]those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about ^(CA)the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter ^(CB)before them all, ^(CC)“If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, ^[n]why do you compel Gentiles to live as ^[o]Jews? ^15 (CD)We who are Jews by nature, and not ^(CE)sinners of the Gentiles, ^16 (CF)knowing that a man is not ^[p]justified by the works of the law but ^(CG)by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not ^(CH)by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

¹⁷ “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found ^(CI)sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸ For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. ¹⁹ For I ^(CJ)through the law ^(CK)died to the law that I might ^(CL)live to God. ²⁰ I have been ^(CM)crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh ^(CN)I live by faith in the Son of God, ^(CO)who loved me and gave Himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God; for ^(CP)if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died ^[q]in vain.”

Justification by Faith^(CQ)

3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you ^[r]that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed ^[s]among you as crucified? ² This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, ^(CR)or by the hearing of faith? ³ Are you so foolish? ^(CS)Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by ^(CT)the flesh? ^4 (CU)Have you suffered so ^[t]many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

⁵ Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— ⁶ just as Abraham ^(CV)“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁷ Therefore know that only ^(CW)those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. ⁸ And ^(CX)the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ^(CY)“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” ⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

The Law Brings a Curse

¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ^(CZ)“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” ¹¹ But that no one is ^[u]justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ^(DA)“the just shall live by faith.” ¹² Yet ^(DB)the law is not of faith, but ^(DC)“the man who does them shall live by them.”

^13 (DD)Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ^(DE)“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), ^14 (DF)that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the ^(DG)Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive ^(DH)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Changeless Promise^(DI)

¹⁵ Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: ^(DJ)Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. ¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of ^(DK)one, ^(DL)“And to your Seed,” who is ^(DM)Christ. ¹⁷ And this I say, that the law, ^(DN)which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God ^[v]in Christ, ^(DO)that it should make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if ^(DP)the inheritance is of the law, ^(DQ)it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Purpose of the Law

¹⁹ What purpose then does the law serve? ^(DR)It was added because of transgressions, till the ^(DS)Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ^(DT)appointed through angels by the hand ^(DU)of a mediator. ²⁰ Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, ^(DV)but God is one.

²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. ²² But the Scripture has confined ^(DW)all under sin, ^(DX)that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ²³ But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, ^[w]kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore ^(DY)the law was our ^[x]tutor to bring us to Christ, ^(DZ)that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Sons and Heirs

²⁶ For you ^(EA)are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For ^(EB)as many of you as were baptized into Christ ^(EC)have put on Christ. ^28 (ED)There is neither Jew nor Greek, ^(EE)there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all ^(EF)one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And ^(EG)if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s ^(EH)seed, and ^(EI)heirs according to the promise.

Sons and Heirs Through Christ

4 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, ² but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. ³ Even so we, when we were children, ^(EJ)were in bondage under the elements of the world. ⁴ But ^(EK)when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, ^(EL)born^{[y] (EM)}of a woman, ^(EN)born under the law, ^5 (EO)to redeem those who were under the law, ^(EP)that we might receive the adoption as sons.

⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent forth ^(EQ)the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ^[z]“Abba, Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, ^(ER)and if a son, then an heir ^[aa]of God ^[ab]through Christ.

Fears for the Church

⁸ But then, indeed, ^(ES)when you did not know God, ^(ET)you served those which by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now ^(EU)after you have known God, or rather are known by God, ^(EV)how is it that you turn again to ^(EW)the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? ^10 (EX)You observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I am afraid for you, ^(EY)lest I have labored for you in vain.

¹² Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. ^(EZ)You have not injured me at all. ¹³ You know that ^(FA)because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. ¹⁴ And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me ^(FB)as an ^[ac]angel of God, ^(FC)even as Christ Jesus. ^15 [ad]What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

¹⁷ They ^(FD)zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. ¹⁸ But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. ^19 (FE)My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, ²⁰ I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

Two Covenants^(FF)

²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons: ^(FG)the one by a bondwoman, ^(FH)the other by a freewoman. ²³ But he who was of the bondwoman ^(FI)was born according to the flesh, ^(FJ)and he of the freewoman through promise, ²⁴ which things are symbolic. For these are ^[ae]the two covenants: the one from Mount ^(FK)Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— ²⁵ for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— ²⁶ but the ^(FL)Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now ^(FN)we, brethren, as Isaac was, are ^(FO)children of promise. ²⁹ But, as ^(FP)he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, ^(FQ)even so it is now. ³⁰ Nevertheless what does ^(FR)the Scripture say? ^(FS)“Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for ^(FT)the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.