Paul's Letter to the Galatians Paraphrased.

King James Version

Galatians 1

Greetings from Paul, an apostle. I was chosen to be an apostle, but not by any group or person here on earth. My commission came from Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead.  Greetings also from all those in God's family who are with me.

To the churches in Galatia:

I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be gracious to you and give you peace.  Jesus gave himself for our sins to free us from this evil world we live in according to the will of God and our Father. The glory belongs to God forever and ever. Amen.

I am amazed that you are already turning away from He who called you into the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel than the one we preached among you.  This different gospel is not another valid one because there is no other.  But there are those who have come among you and have brought you great trouble because they have corrupted the true gospel. 

We preached you the only true gospel message. So if any of us, even if we were an angel from heaven, teaches you a different message, let him be eternally condemned.   I said this before. Now I am proclaiming it again; anyone who tells you another way to be saved will be eternally condemned!

Now do you think I am trying to get people to accept me? No, God is the one I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I seek only to please the people with my teaching, I would not be a bond servant of Jesus Christ.  Brothers and sisters, I want to assure you that the Gospel message I taught you was not made up by anyone.  I did not get my teaching from any other person, neither did I learn it from other people. Jesus Christ himself gave His gospel  to me. He is who revealed to me what I have been teaching among you.

Now you have heard about my former life in the Jewish religion. I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy his people. I was becoming a leader in the Jewish religion and advancing faster than most other Jews my own age.  I tried harder than anyone else to follow the traditions we got from our ancestors.

But God had special plans for me even before I was born, so he graciously chose me for His purpose. He wanted me to teach the message of Jesus Christ to the non-Jewish people.  After this happened, I did not waste any time neither did I seek the advice of anyone else about it.  I did not go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, instead I went away to Arabia and then back to the city of Damascus.

It was three years later when I first went to Jerusalem to meet Peter and I stayed with him only fifteen days.  While I was there, I saw none of the other apostles, only James the brother of the Lord.  You must believe what I am saying for I am telling you this by the authority and approval of God. This is exactly what happened, I am not trying to deceive you. 

Then after my visit to Jerusalem, I went to Syria and Cilicia.  And still the Christians in Judea didn't even know what I looked like.  All they knew was what people there were saying, that "our former enemy is now preaching the same system of faith he tried to destroy."  And because of this, they gave glory to God.

GALATIANS 1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

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

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

24 And they glorified God in me.

Galatians 2

Later, after an interval of fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus.  I went up in obedience to a revelation of God's will and I fully revealed to them the Gospel which I proclaim among the Gentiles.  I met the leaders of the church privately to discuss this with them because I was worried that all the work I was doing and had done would be for nothing. 

My companion Titus, even though he is Greek, was not forced by them to be circumcised.  There was danger of this through the false brethren who were secretly brought in by others.  Pretending to be Christians, they snuck into where we were meeting because they wanted to spy on us in order to find a way to bring us all back under the bondage of the Law of Moses.  We refused to give in to their demands, not even for an hour, in order that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you. 

From the spiritual leaders in Jerusalem, I learned nothing different from what I had been preaching. Whether they were men of importance or not, mattered nothing to me for God shows personal favoritism to no man.  In any event the leaders there imparted nothing new to the gospel I have preached to you.

In fact, when they saw that I was entrusted with the preaching of the true Gospel to the Gentiles as Peter had been to the Jews, (for Christ who had been at work within Peter for his Apostleship to the Jews had also been at work within me for my Apostleship to the Gentiles).  So when James, Cephas, and John, who were recognized as great spiritual leaders in the church, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave Barnabas and I the right hand of fellowship and agreed that we should continue to go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews.   They urged us to remember the poor, which I was already diligent to do.

Now when Peter had come from Jerusalem to Antioch, I confronted him face to face because he transgressed God's will and was standing in condemnation for it.  Peter had been eating with the Gentiles until some of the Judaizers came there from James in Jerusalem.  But when these Judaizers arrived in Antioch he withdrew from the Gentiles and separated himself from them because he was afraid of them.  And then when the other Jewish Christians saw Peter's defection, they joined in with Peter's hypocrisy to the point that even Barnabas was influenced and joined with them. 

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about this according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew who is living like a Gentile, and not living as a Jew who follows the Law of Moses, so why are you compelling your Gentile brethren to do so? We who are of the Jewish nation who are Christians, and are not born "sinners," as we call those who are not Jews know that no man is justified by the works of the law of Moses, but through the system of the faith in Jesus Christ.  We believed on Christ Jesus that we might be justified by the faith which is in Christ and not by the works of the law of Moses, because by the works of the law of Moses, no man today shall be justified. 

As we seek to be declared just before God through our union with Christ we have learned that we Jews are alien sinners as much as the Gentiles.  Does this mean that Jesus Christ is promoting or acceptant of sin?  Absolutely not.  For if I were to try and rebuild the Mosaic system of law that I have been tearing down, then I would convict myself to be a transgressor of that law which foretold its own end through Christ.  It was through the teachings of the law of Moses that I rejected it so that I could live my life to God. 

I have been put to death with Christ and now it is no longer I that rule over my life, but Christ who is alive in me.  So the life I am living now is lived in the system of faith which is found only in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up on the cross for me.  I do not render null and void the grace of God, for if it were possible to be declared righteous through keeping the law of Moses, then it was not necessary for Christ to have been crucified and He died for nothing.

Galatians 2   1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 3

Why are you Christians in Galatia so foolish?  You have allowed the Judaizers to deceive you even after I have preached Christ to you so clearly that it was like He had been crucified among you instead of in Jerusalem.  So answer this one question for me.  Did you receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit by following the law of Moses or by the hearing of the faith of Christ?  Have you suffered so much for the gospel only to throw it all away for nothing?  I ask you again, did the Holy Spirit work miracles among you when you started following the law of Moses or when you heard the faith of Christ? 

Abraham committed his trust in God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Because of that, you must understand that only those who are of the faith of Christ are sons of Abraham.  Long ago, before the gospel came, the scriptures foretold that God would justify the Gentiles by the faith of Christ.   And we know from scripture that Abraham was included in the promise because it was written, "in you shall all the nations of the earth be blessed".  So then, those who are of the faith of Christ are blessed with faithful Abraham. 

Also, those who try and live by the law of Moses are bound under a curse which is written in Deuteronomy 27:26 which says "'Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing all of them".  Now, in this time, no man can be declared right before God by living under the law of Moses.  It is apparent that the righteous must live by the system of faith in Christ. 

The law of Moses has no part in the law of faith so he who would live by the ordinances of the old law would have to live by all of them.  Christ released us from the curse of the old law by becoming the curse for it is written in Deuteronomy 21:23, "for he that is hanged is accursed of God".  By doing this, the blessings promised to Abraham through Jesus Christ was given to the Gentiles. 

Now brethren, I'm going to explain something in terms easy to understand.  When a formal contract between men has been signed and confirmed, no other man can add anything to it or take anything away from it.  God made promises both to Abraham and to his descendant. God did not say, "and to your descendants." That would mean many people. But God said, "and to your descendant." That means only one person and that person is Jesus Christ.

This is what I mean: God had an agreement with Abraham and promised to keep it. The law of Moses, which came four hundred thirty years later, cannot change or alter that covenant that it should destroy the promise God made directly with Abraham.  If the promise given to Abraham and his descendant must come through the law of Moses, then it can no longer be a promise given only to Abraham and his descendant.  

So what was the purpose of the law of Moses?  It was given as a temporary measure for the sins of man until Abraham's descendant came to whom the promise was made.  The old law was given through messengers who used Moses as a mediator to give the law to the people.  But a mediator such as Moses is not necessary when God makes a covenant directly with someone.  All the Godhead is one so a covenant with Christ is the same as a covenant with God the Father.

But the scriptures pronounce all mankind to be in the condemnation of sin, that the promise given to Abraham's descendant, through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to all those who commit to Him.  But before the gospel system of faith arrived, we were kept under guard like prisoners by the law of Moses, in bondage of sin until the faith of Christ which would replace the law was at last revealed. The old law has become to us all a guide and protector to help bring us to Jesus Christ, that afterwards we would be justified by the gospel system of faith.

Now that the faith of Christ has arrived, we no longer require the protection and guidance of the law of Moses because we are all sons of God through the system of faith in Christ Jesus.  Because all of you who have been immersed into Christ have adorned and shielded yourselves with Him.  There can be no division between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female. In the family of Christ, we are all one in Him.  And anyone who belongs to Christ is now therefore the descendant of Abraham and a recipient of the promise given to him by God.

Galatians 3  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4

Now, to further illustrate what I have been saying, an heir to his father's house is subject to the oversight of the household bondservants as long as he is underage. The fact that he will one day be the master in his father's estate does not make any difference in the authority his overseers have over him.  He lives under the authority given to them as his guardians until the time his father says he can take over his role as a mature member of the household. 

Now, just like the underage child in my illustration, we were in a similar bondage under the guidance of God's law in the world whether it was the law of Moses or God's laws of right and wrong which the Gentiles lived by.  But when the time came for us to take on our roles as mature members of God's family, God sent Jesus Christ to the earth as His physical Son, having been born of an earthly woman and born under the rule of the law of Moses.  He did this in order to purchase those under the laws of God back from the bondage of sin so that we all could receive adoption into sonship with God the Father.  And now because we have entered into a sonship relationship with God, we now have the disposition of Jesus within our hearts by which we worship Him fervently and earnestly.  So now we are no longer the bondservants of a law which could only bring condemnation.  Through Jesus Christ, we are now the sons of God and because of that, we are the heirs of eternal life.   

Before obeying the gospel, you did not know the one true and living God and you were slaves to gods who were not real.  But now that you know God as his children and God now knows you as a part of His family, why do you desire to return to a system which was weak and worldly?  Do you really want to be in bondage to a system which cannot make you a child of God? 

You are observing Jewish holy days and months and seasons and years which are part of the law of Moses.   I am afraid that the work I have committed to you was for nothing and that you have wasted your time and efforts.  Brethren, I am pleading with you to become like me as I have rejected the traditions of the law of Moses, and I embraced many of your customs and practices to become more like you.  Please don't think I am speaking out of anger here because you have never done me any wrong.  You did not even reject me because of my physical infirmity when I came to you at first, but received me like you would have welcomed an angel of God or even Christ Jesus Himself. 

Where is the joy you had when I first came to you?  I can say without a doubt that you would have done anything to help me. If it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me.  Now, have I suddenly become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?  The Judaizers are zealous to persuade you to their doctrine.  But nothing good can come of that.  They are trying to come between us so that you will seek their counsel and not listen to me anymore.  It is always good to be zealous in things that are right.  But you need to be zealous for the truth whether I am there or not. 

My little children, I find myself laboring like a woman in childbirth over you all over again and I will continue to do this until you have the knowledge of Christ fully formed within you.  I wish I could be there with now so that perhaps I would not have to be so harsh with you, but I am sincerely concerned for you about this. 

Those of you who desire to live under the law of Moses, tell me, do you even know what the law teaches?  It is written in the law that Abraham had two sons.  One of them was born of Hagar, a slave and the other was born by a Sarah who was Abraham's wife who was not a slave.  The child born of the slave was born according to a fleshly arrangement between Abraham and his wife.  But the other son, born by Abraham's lawful wife was the child God previously promised to Abraham. 

I'm using this account to illustrate to you the difference between the law of Moses and the law of Christ.  Hagar, the bondwoman of Sarah represents the law of Moses given on Mount Sinai while Sarah, the free woman and wife of Abraham represents the new covenant which is the mother of us all.  For the prophecy of Isaiah says, "Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband". 

Now we, brethren, just like Isaac, are the children of promise.  Now Ishmael who was born according to a fleshly arrangement persecuted Isaac who was born according to the plan of God.  The persecution of the Judaizers is like that and going on even now.  But don't let that bother you because the scriptures say "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."  So then, brethren, we are not children of the law of Moses represented by the bondwoman.  Rather, we are children of the new covenant which was represented by the free woman. 

Galatians 4   Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Galatians 5

So then stand firm in the freedom that Christ provided for you and do not be snared back into the bondage of the law of Moses.  I, the apostle Paul, am telling you that if you are circumcised as an act of commitment to the law of Moses then Christ will be of no benefit to you at all.  I'm telling you for a fact that anyone who receives the circumcision of the old law obligates them self to the practice all of that law.  Anyone who tries to be justified by the law of Moses is severed from Christ and falls from grace.  

For through the teachings of the Spirit of God, by faith, we wait patiently for the hope of righteousness.  For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision or uncircumcision is of any benefit.  What does profit us is our faith working through love. 

You Galatians were doing great.  So who is this that deceived you into thinking you didn't have to obey the truth?  The one who called you into the light by the gospel never said such a thing.  Be wary, because like leaven working through bread dough, the Judaizers will corrupt the whole church.   I am confident that once you read this epistle, you will know better than to be persuaded from the truth.  Those who are guilty of trying to teach you to follow the old law will bear their judgment whoever they are. 

If I were still preaching the circumcision of the law of Moses, then why am I yet being persecuted?  If I were indeed preaching circumcision like some have claimed then the cross of Christ which is the obstacle in the path of the Judaizers would have been removed and there would be no cause for them to persecute me any more.  I wish those who were teaching you to be circumcised would go beyond that and mutilate themselves. 

You Christians were called for freedom from the bondage of sin, however you should never use this freedom as an opportunity to sin, but through love be servants of each other.  For the whole law of Christ is fulfilled when you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.  As you work yourselves out of the doctrine of the Judaizers, be careful that you do not attack each other to the point that you cause yourselves to be condemned as well.

Live your lives after the teachings of the Spirit and you will not fulfill your fleshly desires.  Because the desires of the flesh conflict with the teachings of the Spirit and the Spirit conflicts with the desires of the flesh.  These two are opposed to each other so you cannot live any way you want.   If you are led by the Sprit of God, you cannot live according to the law of Moses. 

Now the works of the flesh are evident and these are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, heresies, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things similar to these.  I am warning you that anyone who practices such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the results of living according to the teachings of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self control.  There is no law against exhibiting these characteristics.  Those who are of Christ Jesus have put away the passions and lusts of the flesh.  If we live by the Spirit, then let us live according to His teachings.  We must not allow ourselves to become proud and arrogant, nor should we provoke or envy one another.

Galatians 5  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6

Brethren, if any of you do something sinful, those of you who are walking upright should help restore them gently.  But be careful, because in your zeal to help you might fall into sinful behavior yourselves.  Help each other with their troubles.  When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ.  If you think you are too important to help others, you are only fooling yourself.

Do not ever fool yourselves into thinking you can deceive God in any way.  What you plant is what you are going to harvest in the end.   If you live to satisfy the lusts of the flesh, the harvest you will get from that will be eternal death.  But if you live in obedience to the Spirit, your harvest from the Spirit will be eternal life.   We must never give up on doing good to others.   The harvest of eternal life will be ours if we will persevere to the end.   We should help anyone who is in need whenever there is an opportunity, especially to those who are of the family of God. 

I am writing this now in my own handwriting so you will know this letter is coming from me.  Those men who are trying to force you to be circumcised are only doing it to keep themselves from being persecuted for the cross of Christ.  They are circumcised, but they don't obey the law of Moses themselves. They want you to be circumcised for their own personal gain. 

May I never strive for personal gain anywhere but in the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Because of the death of Christ on the cross, this sinful world is dead to me, and I am dead to it.  It does not matter anymore if anyone is circumcised or not. The only thing that matters now is whether or not we are a new creation in Christ.  Do not let anyone get in the way of what I have taught you anymore.  Remember that I myself was persecuted among you and I have the scars to prove it. 

My brothers and sisters, I pray that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will be with your spirits.  May it ever be so.

Galatians 6  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, 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 of God.

17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

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