1 Paul, an apostle^(A)—sent not from men nor by a man,^(B) but by Jesus Christ^(C) and God the Father,^(D) who raised him from the dead^(E)— ² and all the brothers and sisters^[a] with me,^(F)

To the churches in Galatia:^(G)

³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,^{(H) 4} who gave himself for our sins^(I) to rescue us from the present evil age,^(J) according to the will of our God and Father,^{(K) 5} to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(L)

No Other Gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called^(M) you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel^(N)— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion^(O) and are trying to pervert^(P) the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,^(Q) let them be under God’s curse!^{(R) 9} As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,^(S) let them be under God’s curse!

¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?^(T) If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^(U) that the gospel I preached^(V) is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man,^(W) nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation^(X) from Jesus Christ.^(Y)

¹³ For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,^(Z) how intensely I persecuted the church of God^(AA) and tried to destroy it.^{(AB) 14} I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous^(AC) for the traditions of my fathers.^{(AD) 15} But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb^(AE) and called me^(AF) by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,^(AG) my immediate response was not to consult any human being.^{(AH) 17} I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.^(AI)

¹⁸ Then after three years,^(AJ) I went up to Jerusalem^(AK) to get acquainted with Cephas^[b] and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ I saw none of the other apostles—only James,^(AL) the Lord’s brother. ²⁰ I assure you before God^(AM) that what I am writing you is no lie.^(AN)

²¹ Then I went to Syria^(AO) and Cilicia.^{(AP) 22} I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea^(AQ) that are in Christ.^{(AR) 23} They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith^(AS) he once tried to destroy.”^{(AT) 24} And they praised God^(AU) because of me.

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem,^(AV) this time with Barnabas.^(AW) I took Titus^(AX) along also. ² I went in response to a revelation^(AY) and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.^(AZ) I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race^(BA) in vain. ³ Yet not even Titus,^(BB) who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.^{(BC) 4} This matter arose because some false believers^(BD) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(BE) the freedom^(BF) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. ⁵ We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel^(BG) might be preserved for you.

⁶ As for those who were held in high esteem^(BH)—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism^(BI)—they added nothing to my message.^{(BJ) 7} On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task^(BK) of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,^[c](BL) just as Peter^(BM) had been to the circumcised.^{[d] 8} For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle^(BN) to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle^(BO) to the Gentiles. ⁹ James,^(BP) Cephas^[e](BQ) and John, those esteemed as pillars,^(BR) gave me and Barnabas^(BS) the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.^(BT) They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles,^(BU) and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor,^(BV) the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul Opposes Cephas

¹¹ When Cephas^(BW) came to Antioch,^(BX) I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹² For before certain men came from James,^(BY) he used to eat with the Gentiles.^(BZ) But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.^{(CA) 13} The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas^(CB) was led astray.

¹⁴ When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,^(CC) I said to Cephas^(CD) in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.^(CE) How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?^(CF)

¹⁵ “We who are Jews by birth^(CG) and not sinful Gentiles^{(CH) 16} know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,^(CI) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^(CJ) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[f] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.^(CK)

¹⁷ “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,^(CL) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!^{(CM) 18} If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

¹⁹ “For through the law I died to the law^(CN) so that I might live for God.^{(CO) 20} I have been crucified with Christ^(CP) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^(CQ) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,^(CR) who loved me^(CS) and gave himself for me.^{(CT) 21} I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,^(CU) Christ died for nothing!”^[g]

Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.^(A) Stand firm,^(B) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.^(C)

² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^(D) Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.^{(E) 4} You who are trying to be justified by the law^(F) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.^{(G) 5} For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.^{(H) 6} For in Christ Jesus^(I) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.^(J) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.^(K)

⁷ You were running a good race.^(L) Who cut in on you^(M) to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸ That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.^{(N) 9} “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”^{(O) 10} I am confident^(P) in the Lord that you will take no other view.^(Q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,^(R) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?^(S) In that case the offense^(T) of the cross has been abolished. ¹² As for those agitators,^(U) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.^(V) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a];^(W) rather, serve one another^(X) humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^{[b](Y) 15} If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit,^(Z) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.^{(AA) 17} For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.^(AB) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[c] you want.^{(AC) 18} But if you are led by the Spirit,^(AD) you are not under the law.^(AE)

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,^(AF) impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.^(AG) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(AH)

²² But the fruit^(AI) of the Spirit is love,^(AJ) joy, peace,^(AK) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.^(AL) Against such things there is no law.^{(AM) 24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh^(AN) with its passions and desires.^{(AO) 25} Since we live by the Spirit,^(AP) let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited,^(AQ) provoking and envying each other.

Doing Good to All

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit^(AR) should restore^(AS) that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.^{(AT) 3} If anyone thinks they are something^(AU) when they are not, they deceive themselves.^{(AV) 4} Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,^(AW) without comparing themselves to someone else,^{(AX) 5} for each one should carry their own load.^{(AY) 6} Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.^(AZ)

⁷ Do not be deceived:^(BA) God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.^{(BB) 8} Whoever sows to please their flesh,^(BC) from the flesh will reap destruction;^(BD) whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.^{(BE) 9} Let us not become weary in doing good,^(BF) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.^{(BG) 10} Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good^(BH) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family^(BI) of believers.

Not Circumcision but the New Creation

¹¹ See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!^(BJ)

¹² Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh^(BK) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.^(BL) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted^(BM) for the cross of Christ. ¹³ Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,^(BN) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.^{(BO) 14} May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(BP) through which^[d] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.^{(BQ) 15} Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;^(BR) what counts is the new creation.^{(BS) 16} Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to^[e] the Israel of God.

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

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