Translation in British English
1:1 Paul, an apostle not through human commission nor from human authority, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead.
1:2 Alongside all the brethren with me, to the congregations of Galatia:
1:3 May grace and peace be yours from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
1:4 Who sacrificed Himself for our sins, that He might rescue us from the current wicked age, in accordance with the will of our God and Father,
1:5 To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
1:6 I am astonished that you are so promptly deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel,
1:7 Which is not another gospel at all. However, there are some who are troubling you and wish to distort the gospel of Christ.
1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be accursed.
1:10 Am I now seeking the approval of humans, or of God? Or am I striving to please humans? If I were still trying to please humans, I would not be a servant of Christ.
1:11 But I assure you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to human standards.
1:12 For I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
1:13 You have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I intensely persecuted the Church of God and tried to destroy it,
1:14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
1:15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
1:16 To reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,
1:17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
1:18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.
1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
1:20 Now concerning the things I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.
1:21 Afterward, I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia,
1:22 And I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.
1:23 But they only kept hearing, “He who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
1:24 And they glorified God because of me.
2:1 Then fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
2:2 I went up according to a revelation, and I laid before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
2:3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised,
2:4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in, who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.
2:5 To whom we did not yield in submission for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
2:6 But from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those influential added nothing to me.
2:7 On the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been entrusted to me, just as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter
2:8 (For He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),
2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they extended to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
2:10 They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
2:11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
2:12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
2:13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, so much so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
2:14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, being a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners from among the Gentiles,
2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified.
2:17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are also found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? Absolutely not!
2:18 For if I rebuild what I once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
2:19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
2:20 I have been 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 I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
2:21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly.
3:1 O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
3:2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
3:4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
3:5 He who imparts the Spirit to you, and performs miracles among you—does he do so through the observance of the law, or by listening to faith?
3:6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
3:7 Recognise, therefore, that those who are of faith are indeed the descendants of Abraham.
3:8 Foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, the scripture proclaimed the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “Through you all nations shall be blessed.”
3:9 Hence, those who rely on faith are blessed along with faithful Abraham.
3:10 All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them.”
3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
3:12 The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does these things shall live by them.”
3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
3:14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
3:15 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.
3:16 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,” meaning one person, who is Christ.
3:17 This is what I mean: the law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
3:18 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.
3:19 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.
3:20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
3:21 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.
3:22 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.
3:23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.
3:24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
3:25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,
3:27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
3:29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
4:1 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
4:2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
4:3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.
4:4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
4:5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
4:6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
4:9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
4:10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
4:11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
4:12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
4:13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,
4:14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
4:15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
4:16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
4:17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.
4:18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.
4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
4:20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
4:21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
4:23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.
4:24 These things are being taken figuratively: the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.
4:25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
4:26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
4:27 For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
4:28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
4:29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.
4:30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
4:31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
5:1 Stand firm, therefore, in the freedom with which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
5:2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
5:3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
5:5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
5:8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
5:9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”
5:10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.
5:11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
5:12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
5:14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
5:15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
5:17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
5:20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
5:21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
5:23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
6:1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
6:3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
6:4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
6:5 for each one should carry their own load.
6:6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.
6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
6:8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
6:11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
6:12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
6:13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.
6:16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.
6:17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
6:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters.
Amen.
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