Beginning

Paul shows that through Christ we are delivered from the law, and he rebukes the unthankfulness of the Galatians.

4 And I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ from a servant, though he be lord of all, ² but is under tutors and managers until the time appointed by the father. ³ Likewise we, as long as we were children, were in bondage under the ordinances of the world. ⁴ But when the time was full come, God sent his Son, born of a woman and made bond to the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, in order that we through election could receive the inheritance that belongs to the natural sons. ⁶ Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who cries, Abba, Father! ⁷ Therefore now you are not a servant, but a son. If you are a son, you are also the heir of God through Christ.

⁸ Notwithstanding, when you did not know God, you served them which by nature are no gods. ⁹ But now, seeing you know God (yea rather, are known by God), how is it that you turn backward to the weak and poor rudiments, to which again you desire afresh to be in bondage? ¹⁰ You observe days and months and times and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain. ¹² Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as you are.

You have not hurt me at all. ¹³ You know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first. ¹⁴ And the adversity I suffered by reason of my flesh, you did not turn away or shrink from, but you received me as an angel of God, yea as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ How happy were you then? For I can attest that, if it had been 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 are fervent over you amiss. Yea, they intend to exclude you so that you will be fervent for them. ¹⁸ It is good always to be fervent, provided it be in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹ My little children, for whom I travail in birth again until Christ be fashioned in you, ²⁰ I wish I were with you now, and could change my tone. For I am in doubt concerning you. ²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not heard of the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. ²³ Yea, and the son of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but the son of the free woman was born by promise, ²⁴ which things contain an allegory. For these women are two testaments. The one is from Mount Sinai, which engenders bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵ For Mount Sinai is called Hagar in Arabia, and corresponds to the city that is now Jerusalem and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷ For it is written: Rejoice, O barren, who bears no children! Break forth and shout, you who travail not! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.

²⁸ Brethren, we are like Isaac: children of promise. ²⁹ But just as then he who was born carnally persecuted him who was born spiritually, so also is it now. ³⁰ Nevertheless, what does the scripture say? Put away the bondwoman and her son. For the son of the bondwoman will not be heir with the son of the free woman. ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free woman.

He labours to draw them away from circumcision. He shows them the battle between the Spirit and the flesh, and the fruits of them both.

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty whereby Christ has made us free, and do not wrap yourselves again in a yoke of bondage. ² Behold, I Paul say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing at all. ³ I testify again to every man who gets circumcised that he is bound to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are gone quite from Christ, as many of you as would be justified by the law, and are fallen from grace. ⁵ We look for and hope in the Spirit to be justified through faith. ⁶ For in Jesus Christ neither is circumcision worth anything, nor yet uncircumcision, but faith, which by love is mighty in operation.

⁷ You were running well. Who got in your way, that you should not follow the truth? ⁸ This counsel is not of him who called you. ⁹ A little leaven does leaven the whole lump of dough.

¹⁰ I am confident of you in the Lord, that you will not be otherwise minded. He who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. ¹¹ Brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I then yet suffer persecution? For then the offence that the cross gives is put away. ¹² I would to God they were separated from you, those who trouble you.

¹³ Brethren, you were called into liberty – only let not your liberty be an occasion for the flesh, but in love serve one another. ¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, which is this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. ¹⁵ If you bite and devour one another, take heed lest you be consumed by one another.

¹⁶ I say then, walk in the Spirit, and do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit resists the flesh. These are contrary one to the other, so that you cannot do that which you would. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, then are you not under the law.

¹⁹ The deeds of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, ²⁰ idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, dissension, ambition, anger, rivalry, factious uprisings, sects, ²¹ envying, murder, drunkenness, gluttony, and suchlike – of which I warn you, as I have told you in time past, that people who commit such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law.

²⁴ Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the appetites and lusts. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not be vainglorious, provoking one another and envying one another.

He exhorts them to brotherly love, and to bear with one another. In the end, he warns them to beware of circumcision.

6 Brethren, if anyone has fallen by chance into any fault, you who are spiritual should help to amend him, in the spirit of humility – considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burden, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

³ If any person seems to himself to be something, when indeed he is nothing, the same deceives himself in his imagination.

⁴ Let each prove his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in his own self, and not in another. ⁵ For every person will reap for himself.

⁶ Let him who is taught in the word minister to the one who teaches him, in all good things. ⁷ Be not deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will reap. ⁸ He who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap life everlasting. ⁹ Let us not be weary of well-doing. For when the time comes, we will reap without weariness. ¹⁰ Therefore, while we have time, let us do good to all men, and especially to them who are of the household of faith.

¹¹ See how large a letter I have written to you with my own hand.

¹² Those who desire to please carnally by outward appearances constrain you to be circumcised only because they do not want to suffer persecution with the cross of Christ. ¹³ For they themselves who are circumcised do not keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised so that they may glory in your flesh.

¹⁴ God forbid that I should glory but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither does circumcision avail anything at all, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. ¹⁶ And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel that belongs to God.

¹⁷ From henceforth let no one put me to trouble. For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁸ Brethren, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

To the Galatians.
Written from
Rome.