Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead –

Paul, an ^aapostle— ^bnot from men nor through man, but ^cthrough Jesus Christ and God the Father, ^dwho raised him from the dead—

and all the brothers and sisters ▼

▼The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1, 18.

with me, To the churches in Galatia:

and all ^fthe brothers ▼

▼Or  brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church; also verse 11

who are with me,

To ^hthe churches of Galatia:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

ⁱGrace to you and peace ^jfrom God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

^kwho gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present ^levil age, according to the will of ^mour God and Father,

to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel –

I am astonished that you are ⁿso quickly deserting ^ohim who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to ^pa different gospel—

which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

^qnot that there is another one, but ^rthere are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!

But even if we or ^san angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, ^tlet him be accursed.

As we have already said, so now I say again: if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, ^ulet him be accursed.

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

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying ^vto please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a ^wservant ▼

▼Or slave; Greek bondservant

of Christ.

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.

For ^yI would have you know, brothers, that ^zthe gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. ▼

▼Greek not according to man

I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

^abFor I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it ^acthrough a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

For you have heard of ^admy former life in Judaism, how ^aeI persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely ^afzealous was I for ^agthe traditions of my fathers.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased

But when he ^ahwho had set me apart ^aibefore I was born, ▼

▼Greek  set me apart from my mother’s womb

and who ^akcalled me by his grace,

to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.

was pleased to reveal his Son to ▼

▼Greek in

me, in order ^amthat I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; ▼

▼Greek with flesh and blood

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.

nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas ▼

▼That is, Peter

and stayed with him fifteen days.

Then ^apafter three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.

I saw none of the other apostles – only James, the Lord’s brother.

But I saw none of the other apostles except James ^aqthe Lord’s brother.

I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.

(In what I am writing to you, ^arbefore God, I do not lie!)

Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.

^asThen I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

And I was still unknown in person to ^atthe churches of Judea that are in Christ.

They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’

They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

And they praised God because of me.

And they glorified God because of me.

Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.

I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.

I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those ^auwho seemed influential) the gospel that ^avI proclaim among the Gentiles, ^awin order to make sure I was not running or had not ^axrun in vain.

Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

But even Titus, who was with me, ^aywas not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

^azYet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who ^baslipped in to spy out ^bbour freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, ^bcso that they might bring us into slavery—

We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that ^bdthe truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

As for those who were held in high esteem – whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favouritism – they added nothing to my message.

And from those ^bewho seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; ^bfGod shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential ^bgadded nothing to me.

On the contrary, they recognised that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, ▼

▼That is, Gentiles

just as Peter had been to the circumcised. ▼

▼That is, Jews; also in verses 8 and 9

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been ^bjentrusted with ^bkthe gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised

For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles.

(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),

James, Cephas ▼

▼That is, Peter; also in verses 11 and 14

and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.

and when James and Cephas and John, ^bmwho seemed to be ^bnpillars, perceived the ^bograce that was given to me, they ^bpgave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Only, they asked us to remember the poor, ^bqthe very thing I was eager to do.

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

But ^brwhen Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him ^bsto his face, because he stood condemned.

For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. 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.

For before certain men came from James, ^bthe was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing ^buthe circumcision party. ▼

▼Or  fearing those of the circumcision

The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

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

But when I saw that their ^bwconduct was not in step with ^bxthe truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas ^bybefore them all, “If you, though a Jew, ^bzlive like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

‘We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not ^caGentile sinners;

know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in ▼

▼Or but through the faithfulness of … justified on the basis of the faithfulness of

Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

yet we know that ^cca person is not justified ▼

▼Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17

by works of the law ^cebut through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, ^cfbecause by works of the law no one will be justified.

‘But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found ^cgto be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a law-breaker.

For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.

‘For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.

For through the law I ^chdied to the law, so that I might ^cilive to God.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I have been ^cjcrucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives ^ckin me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, ^clwho loved me and ^cmgave himself for me.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!’ ▼

▼Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 14.

I do not nullify the grace of God, for ^coif righteousness ▼

▼Or justification

were through the law, ^cqthen Christ died for no purpose.

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? ^crIt was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly ^csportrayed as crucified.

I would like to learn just one thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

Let me ask you only this: ^ctDid you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by ^cuhearing with faith?

Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? ▼

▼In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

Are you so foolish? ^cwHaving begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by ▼

▼Or  now ending with

the flesh?

Have you experienced ▼

▼Or suffered

so much in vain – if it really was in vain?

^czDid you suffer ▼

▼Or experience

so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and ^dbworks miracles among you do so ^dcby works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

So also Abraham ‘believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ ▼

▼Gen. 15:6

just as ^deAbraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.

Know then that it is ^dfthose of faith who are ^dgthe sons of Abraham.

Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ ▼

▼Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18

And the Scripture, foreseeing that ^diGod would justify ▼

▼Or count righteous; also verses 11, 24

the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ^dk“In you shall all the nations be blessed.”

So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ ▼

▼Deut. 27:26

For all who rely on works of the law are ^dmunder a curse; for it is written, ^dn“Cursed be everyone who does not ^doabide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ ▼

▼Hab. 2:4

Now it is evident that ^dqno one is justified before God by the law, for ^dr“The righteous shall live by faith.” ▼

▼Or The one who by faith is righteous will live

The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’ ▼

▼Lev. 18:5

But the law is not of faith, rather ^du“The one who does them shall live by them.”

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’ ▼

▼Deut. 21:23

Christ ^dwredeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ^dx“Cursed is everyone who is hanged ^dyon a tree”—

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might ^dzcome to the Gentiles, so that ^eawe might receive ^ebthe promised Spirit ▼

▼Greek  receive the promise of the Spirit

through faith.

Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

^edTo give a human example, brothers: ▼

▼Or  brothers and sisters

^efeven with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds’, meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed’, ▼

▼Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 24:7

meaning one person, who is Christ.

Now ^ehthe promises were made ^eito Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, ^ej“And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

What I mean is this: the law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.

This is what I mean: the law, which came ^ek430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as ^elto make the promise void.

For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but ^emGod gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.

Why then the law? ^enIt was added because of transgressions, ^eountil the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was ^epput in place through angels ^eqby an intermediary.

A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

Now ^eran intermediary implies more than one, but ^esGod is one.

Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For ^etif a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.

But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

But the Scripture ^euimprisoned everything under sin, so that ^evthe promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given ^ewto those who believe.

Before the coming of this faith, ▼

▼Or through the faithfulness of Jesus … 23Before faith came

we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, ^eyimprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.

So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.

So then, ^ezthe law was our ^faguardian until Christ came, ^fbin order that we might be justified by faith.

Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,

for in Christ Jesus ^fcyou are all sons of God, through faith.

for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

For as many of you as ^fdwere baptized ^feinto Christ have ^ffput on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

^fgThere is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave ▼

▼Greek bondservant

nor free, ^fithere is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

And ^fjif you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, ^fkheirs according to promise.