Salutation

11 Paul, an Apostle (not from men, and not through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who made him come back from the dead), 2 And all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, so that he might make us free from this present evil world, after the purpose of our God and Father: 5 To whom be the glory for ever and ever. So be it.

There Is No Other Gospel

6 I am surprised that you are being so quickly turned away from him whose word came to you in the grace of Christ, to good news of a different sort; 7 Which is not another sort: only there are some who give you trouble, desiring to make changes in the good news of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, were to be a preacher to you of good news other than that which we have given you, let there be a curse on him. 9 As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man is a preacher to you of any good news other than that which has been given to you, let there be a curse on him.

10 Am I now using arguments to men, or God? or is it my desire to give men pleasure? if I was still pleasing men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul's Ministry of the True Gospel

11 Because I say to you, my brothers, that the good news of which I was the preacher is not man's. 12 For I did not get it from man, and I was not given teaching in it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For news has come to you of my way of life in the past in the Jews' religion, how I was cruel without measure to the church of God, and did great damage to it: 14 And I went farther in the Jews' religion than a number of my generation among my countrymen, having a more burning interest in the beliefs handed down from my fathers. 15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, by whom I was marked out even from my mother's body, through his grace, 16 To give the revelation of his Son in me, so that I might give the news of him to the Gentiles; then I did not take the opinion of flesh and blood, 17 And I went not up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went away into Arabia, and again I came back to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Cephas, and was there with him fifteen days. 19 But of the other Apostles I saw only James, the Lord's brother. 20 Now God is witness that the things which I am writing to you are true. 21 Then I came to the parts of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And the churches of Judaea which were in Christ still had no knowledge of my face or person: 23 Only it came to their ears that he who at one time was cruel to us is now preaching the faith which before had been attacked by him; 24 And they gave glory to God in me.

The Spirit Received through Faith

31 O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross? 2 Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh? 4 Did you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no purpose. 5 He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith?

God's Covenant with Abraham

6 Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness. 7 Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. 8 And the holy Writings, seeing before the event that God would give the Gentiles righteousness by faith, gave the good news before to Abraham, saying, In you will all the nations have a blessing. 9 So then those who are of faith have a part in the blessing of Abraham who was full of faith. 10 For all who are of the works of the law are under a curse: because it is said in the Writings, A curse is on everyone who does not keep on doing all the things which are ordered in the book of the law. 11 Now that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear; because, The upright will be living by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith; but, He who does them will have life by them. 13 Christ has made us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us: because it is said in the Writings, A curse on everyone who is put to death by hanging on a tree: 14 So that on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; in order that we through faith might have the Spirit which God had undertaken to give. 15 Brothers, as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it. 16 Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ. 17 Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect. 18 Because if the heritage is by the law, it is no longer dependent on the word of God; but God gave it to Abraham by his word.

The Purpose of the Law

19 What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between. 20 Now a go-between is not a go-between of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the words of God? in no way; because if there had been a law which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 However, the holy Writings have put all things under sin, so that that for which God gave the undertaking, based on faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who have such faith. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in prison under the law, waiting for the revelation of the faith which was to come. 24 So the law has been a servant to take us to Christ, so that we might have righteousness by faith. 25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a servant. 26 Because you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all those of you who were given baptism into Christ did put on Christ. 28 There is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one in Jesus Christ. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and yours is the heritage by the right of God's undertaking given to Abraham.