Greeting

1 Paul,^(A) an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father^(B) who raised Him from the dead^(C)— ² and all the brothers who are with me:

To the churches of Galatia.^[a](D)

³ Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord^[b] Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave Himself for our sins^(E) to rescue us from this present evil age,^(F) according to the will of our God and Father.^{(G) 5} To whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called^(H) you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another gospel,^(I) but there are some^(J) who are troubling you and want to change the good news^[c] about the Messiah. ⁸ But even if we or an angel^(K) from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you,^(L) a curse be on him!^{[d] 9} As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received,^(M) a curse be on him!

¹⁰ For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God?^(N) Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

Paul Defends His Apostleship

¹¹ Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not based on human thought.^{[e] 12} For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation^(O) from Jesus Christ.^(P)

¹³ For you have heard about my former way of life^(Q) in Judaism:^(R) I persecuted^(S) God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.^{(T) 15} But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called^(U) me by His grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal His Son^(V) in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.^{[f] 17} I did not go up to Jerusalem^(W) to those who had become apostles^(X) before me; instead I went to Arabia^(Y) and came back to Damascus.^(Z)

¹⁸ Then after three years I did go up to Jerusalem^(AA) to get to know Cephas,^[g](AB) and I stayed with him 15 days. ¹⁹ But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James,^(AC) the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ Now I am not lying in what I write to you. God is my witness.^[h]

²¹ Afterward, I went to the regions of Syria^(AD) and Cilicia.^{(AE) 22} I remained personally unknown to the Judean churches in Christ; ²³ they simply kept hearing: “He who formerly persecuted^(AF) us now preaches the faith^(AG) he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.

Justification through Faith

3 You foolish^(A) Galatians! Who has hypnotized you,^[a] before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed^[b] as crucified?^{(B) 2} I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?^{[c] 3} Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh?^{[d] 4} Did you suffer^(C) so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? ⁵ So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles^(D) among you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?^[e]

⁶ Just as Abraham believed God,^(E) and it was credited to him for righteousness,^{(F)[f] 7} then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.^{(G) 8} Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham,^(H) saying, All the nations will be blessed through you.^{(I)[g] 9} So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham,^(J) who had faith.^[h]

Law and Promise

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse,^(K) because it is written:^(L) Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed.^{(M)[i] 11} Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live^(N) by faith.^{(O)[j] 12} But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them.^{(P)[k] 13} Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,^(Q) because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.^{(R)[l] 14} The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.^(S)

¹⁵ Brothers, I’m using a human illustration.^[m] No one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant^[n] that has been ratified. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed,^(T)[o] who is Christ. ¹⁷ And I say this: The law, which came 430 years later,^(U) does not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by God^[p] and cancel the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.

The Purpose of the Law

¹⁹ Why then was the law given?^(V) It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels^(W) by means of a mediator.^{(X) 20} Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one.^{(Y) 21} Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. ²² But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power,^[q](Z) so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ^(AA) might be given to those who believe.^{(AB) 23} Before this faith^(AC) came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.^{(AD) 24} The law, then, was our guardian^[r] until Christ,^(AE) so that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵ But since that faith^(AF) has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Sons and Heirs

²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment.^{(AG) 28} There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free,^(AH) male or female;^(AI) for you are all one^(AJ) in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs^(AK) according to the promise.^(AL)

Freedom of the Christian

5 Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm^(A) then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.^{(B) 2} Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. ³ Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.^{(C) 5} For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait^(D) for the hope^(E) of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith^(F) working through love.^(G)

⁷ You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth?^{(H) 8} This persuasion did not come from the One who called you.^{(I) 9} A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.^{(J) 11} Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross^(K) has been abolished. ¹² I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!

¹³ For you were called^(L) to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled^(M) in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{(N)[a] 15} But if you bite and devour^(O) one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶ I say then, walk by the Spirit^(P) and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires^(Q) what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.^{(R) 18} But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious:^[b][c] sexual immorality,^(S) moral impurity,^(T) promiscuity,^{(U) 20} idolatry,^(V) sorcery,^(W) hatreds,^(X) strife,^(Y) jealousy,^(Z) outbursts of anger,^(AA) selfish ambitions,^(AB) dissensions,^(AC) factions,^{(AD) 21} envy,^[d](AE) drunkenness, carousing,^(AF) and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(AG)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit^(AH) is love,^(AI) joy,^(AJ) peace, patience,^(AK) kindness,^(AL) goodness, faith,^{[e] 23} gentleness,^(AM) self-control.^(AN) Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus^(AO) have crucified the flesh^(AP) with its passions and desires.^{(AQ) 25} Since we live^(AR) by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. ²⁶ We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.^(AS)

Carry One Another’s Burdens

6 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle^(AT) spirit,^(AU) watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.^{(AV) 2} Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.^{(AW) 3} For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing,^(AX) he deceives himself. ⁴ But each person should examine his own work,^(AY) and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. ⁵ For each person will have to carry his own load.

⁶ The one who is taught the message must share^(AZ) all his good things with the teacher. ⁷ Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, ⁸ because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit^(BA) will reap eternal life^(BB) from the Spirit. ⁹ So we must not get tired^(BC) of doing good,^(BD) for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work^(BE) for the good^(BF) of all, especially for those who belong to the household^(BG) of faith.^(BH)

Concluding Exhortation

¹¹ Look at what large letters I use as I write to you in my own handwriting. ¹² Those who want to make a good impression in the flesh^(BI) are the ones who would compel you to be circumcised^(BJ)—but only to avoid being persecuted^(BK) for the cross^(BL) of Christ. ¹³ For even the circumcised don’t keep^(BM) the law themselves; however, they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh. ¹⁴ But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For^[f] both circumcision and uncircumcision^(BN) mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation.^{(BO) 16} May peace come to all those who follow this standard, and mercy to the Israel^(BP) of God!

¹⁷ From now on, let no one cause me trouble, because I bear on my body scars for the cause of Jesus.^{(BQ) 18} Brothers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.^(BR) Amen.