G A L AT I A N S
CHAPTER 1 be a servant of Christ.
1 Paul an apostle — not from 11 For I would have you
men nor through man, but know, brethren, that the
through Jesus Christ and God gospel which was preached by
the Father, who raised him me is not man's gospel.
from the dead — 12 For I did not receive it
2 and all the brethren who from man, nor was I taught it,
are with me, To the churches but it came through a revela-
of Galatia: tion of Jesus Christ.
3 Grace to you and peace 13 For you have heard of my
from God the Father and our former life in Judaism, how I
Lord Jesus Christ, persecuted the church of God
4 who gave himself for our violently and tried to destroy
sins to deliver us from the it;
present evil age, according to 14 and I advanced in Judaism
the will of our God and Father; beyond many of my own age
5 to whom be the glory for among my people, so ex-
ever and ever. Amen. tremely zealous was I for the
6 I am astonished that you traditions of my fathers.
are so quickly deserting him 15 But when he who had set
who called you in the grace of me apart before I was born,
Christ and turning to a differ- and had called me through his
ent gospel — grace,
7 not that there is another 16 was pleased to reveal his
gospel, but there are some Son to me, in order that I
who trouble you and want to might preach him among the
pervert the gospel of Christ. Gentiles, I did not confer with
8 But even if we, or an angel flesh and blood,
from heaven, should preach to 17 nor did I go up to
you a gospel contrary to that Jerusalem to those who were
which we preached to you, let apostles before me, but I went
him be accursed. away into Arabia; and again I
9 As we have said before, so returned to Damascus.
now I say again, If any one is 18 Then after three years I
preaching to you a gospel went up to Jerusalem to visit
contrary to that which you re- Cephas, and remained with
ceived, let him be accursed. him fifteen days.
10 Am I now seeking the fa- 19 But I saw none of the oth-
vor of men, or of God? Or am I er apostles except James the
trying to please men? If I were Lord's brother.
still pleasing men, I should not 20 (In what I am writing to
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Jews by birth and not Gentile begun with the Spirit, are you
sinners, now ending with the flesh?
16 yet who know that a man 4 Did you experience so
is not justified by works of the many things in vain? — if it
law but through faith in Jesus really is in vain.
Christ, even we have believed 5 Does he who supplies the
in Christ Jesus, in order to be Spirit to you and works mira-
justified by faith in Christ, and cles among you do so by
not by works of the law, be- works of the law, or by hear-
cause by works of the law ing with faith?
shall no one be justified. 6 Thus Abraham "believed
17 But if, in our endeavor to God, and it was reckoned to
be justified in Christ, we our- him as righteousness."
selves were found to be sin- 7 So you see that it is men of
ners, is Christ then an agent faith who are the sons of
of sin? Certainly not! Abraham.
18 But if I build up again 8 And the scripture, foresee-
those things which I tore ing that God would justify the
down, then I prove myself a Gentiles by faith, preached
transgressor. the gospel beforehand to
19 For I through the law died Abraham, saying, "In you shall
to the law, that I might live to all the nations be blessed."
God. 9 So then, those who are men
20 I have been crucified with of faith are blessed with Abra-
Christ; it is no longer I who ham who had faith.
live, but Christ who lives in 10 For all who rely on works
me; and the life I now live in of the law are under a curse;
the flesh I live by faith in the for it is written, "Cursed be
Son of God, who loved me and every one who does not abide
gave himself for me. by all things written in the
21 I do not nullify the grace book of the law, and do
of God; for if justification were them."
through the law, then Christ 11 Now it is evident that no
died to no purpose. man is justified before God by
the law; for "He who through
CHAPTER 3 faith is righteous shall live";
1 O foolish Galatians! Who 12 but the law does not rest
has bewitched you, before on faith, for "He who does
whose eyes Jesus Christ was them shall live by them."
publicly portrayed as cruci- 13 Christ redeemed us from
fied? the curse of the law, having
2 Let me ask you only this: become a curse for us — for it
Did you receive the Spirit by is written, "Cursed be every
works of the law, or by hear- one who hangs on a tree" —
ing with faith? 14 that in Christ Jesus the
3 Are you so foolish? Having blessing of Abraham might
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come upon the Gentiles, that were confined under the law,
we might receive the promise kept under restraint until faith
of the Spirit through faith. should be revealed.
15 To give a human example, 24 So that the law was our
brethren: no one annuls even custodian until Christ came,
a man's will, or adds to it, that we might be justified by
once it has been ratified. faith.
16 Now the promises were 25 But now that faith has
made to Abraham and to his come, we are no longer under
offspring. It does not say, a custodian;
"And to offsprings," referring 26 for in Christ Jesus you are
to many; but, referring to one, all sons of God, through faith.
"And to your offspring," which 27 For as many of you as
is Christ. were baptized into Christ have
17 This is what I mean: the put on Christ.
law, which came four hundred 28 There is neither Jew nor
and thirty years afterward, Greek, there is neither slave
does not annul a covenant nor free, there is neither male
previously ratified by God, so nor female; for you are all one
as to make the promise void. in Christ Jesus.
18 For if the inheritance is by 29 And if you are Christ's,
the law, it is no longer by then you are Abraham's off-
promise; but God gave it to spring, heirs according to
Abraham by a promise. promise.
19 Why then the law? It was
added because of transgres- CHAPTER 4
sions, till the offspring should 1 I mean that the heir, as
come to whom the promise long as he is a child, is no bet-
had been made; and it was or- ter than a slave, though he is
dained by angels through an the owner of all the estate;
intermediary. 2 but he is under guardians
20 Now an intermediary im- and trustees until the date set
plies more than one; but God by the father.
is one. 3 So with us; when we were
21 Is the law then against the children, we were slaves to
promises of God? Certainly the elemental spirits of the
not; for if a law had been giv- universe.
en which could make alive, 4 But when the time had fully
then righteousness would in- come, God sent forth his Son,
deed be by the law. born of woman, born under
22 But the scripture con- the law,
signed all things to sin, that 5 to redeem those who were
what was promised to faith in under the law, so that we
Jesus Christ might be given to might receive adoption as
those who believe. sons.
23 Now before faith came, we 6 And because you are sons,
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God has sent the Spirit of his want to shut you out, that you
Son into our hearts, crying, may make much of them.
"Abba! Father!" 18 For a good purpose it is
7 So through God you are no always good to be made much
longer a slave but a son, and of, and not only when I am
if a son then an heir. present with you.
8 Formerly, when you did not 19 My little children, with
know God, you were in whom I am again in travail un-
bondage to beings that by na- til Christ be formed in you!
ture are no gods; 20 I could wish to be present
9 but now that you have with you now and to change
come to know God, or rather my tone, for I am perplexed
to be known by God, how can about you.
you turn back again to the 21 Tell me, you who desire to
weak and beggarly elemental be under law, do you not hear
spirits, whose slaves you want the law?
to be once more? 22 For it is written that Abra-
10 You observe days, and ham had two sons, one by a
months, and seasons, and slave and one by a free wom-
years! an.
11 I am afraid I have labored 23 But the son of the slave
over you in vain. was born according to the
12 Brethren, I beseech you, flesh, the son of the free wom-
become as I am, for I also an through promise.
have become as you are. You 24 Now this is an allegory:
did me no wrong; these women are two
13 you know it was because covenants. One is from Mount
of a bodily ailment that I Sinai, bearing children for
preached the gospel to you at slavery; she is Hagar.
first; 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai
14 and though my condition in Arabia; she corresponds to
was a trial to you, you did not the present Jerusalem, for she
scorn or despise me, but re- is in slavery with her children.
ceived me as an angel of God, 26 But the Jerusalem above is
as Christ Jesus. free, and she is our mother.
15 What has become of the 27 For it is written, "Rejoice,
satisfaction you felt? For I O barren one who does not
bear you witness that, if pos- bear; break forth and shout,
sible, you would have plucked you who are not in travail; for
out your eyes and given them the children of the desolate
to me. one are many more than the
16 Have I then become your children of her that is mar-
enemy by telling you the ried."
truth? 28 Now we, brethren, like
17 They make much of you, Isaac, are children of promise.
but for no good purpose; they 29 But as at that time he who
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