PAUL the apostle (not sent from men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, and our Father who raised him from the dead), 2and all the brethren with me, to the churches of Galatia: 3grace unto you, and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ; 4who gave himself for our sins, that he might pluck us out of this present wicked world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6I marvel that ye are so quickly departed from him that called you, by the grace of Christ into another gospel 7which is not another; but there are certain persons who trouble you, and desire to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though even we, or an angel from heaven, preach unto you another gospel, different from that which we have preached to you, let him be an anathema. 9As we have before spoken, and I now repeat it again, If any man preach a gospel different from that ye have received, let him be anathema. 10For do I now use persuasions from men, or from God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11But I give you to understand, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not a merely human ministry. 12For I neither received it from man, nor was taught, but by immediate revelation from Jesus Christ. 13For ye have heard of my former manner of life, when I professed Judaism, that in the most outrageous manner I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14and signalized myself in Judaism above many of those of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly a zealot for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it pleased God, who selected me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach the glad tidings of him to the nations, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, 17nor went up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18Afterwards at the expiration of three years I went up unto Jerusalem to pay a visit to Peter, and I abode with him fifteen days. 19But I saw no other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20Now respecting the things which I write unto you, behold, in the presence of God, I lie not. 21Afterwards I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22and I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea, which are in Christ: 23only they had heard, that he who persecuted us in time past, now preaches the faith which he once laid waste. 24And they glorified God on my behalf.
[CHAP. II.]
FOURTEEN years afterwards I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also along with us. 2And I went up then by revelation, and laid before them that gospel which I preach among the Heathen, but in private conference with those who were of the first importance, that haply I might not run, nor had run in vain. 3And even Titus, who was with me, though a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised: 4but this I did because of false brethren artfully introduced, who came to pry into our liberty which we hold in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5to whom not even for an hour have we yielded subjection, that the truth of the gospel might abide with you. 6But from those who appeared men of the greatest importance, (what sort of men soever they were it maketh no difference to me: God accepteth not a man’s person;) for these important personages in conference added nothing to me; 7but contrariwise when they saw that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, as Peter was to the circumcision: 8(for he that wrought powerfully by Peter in his apostolic mission to the circumcision, wrought mightily also by me among the Gentiles.) 9And when they knew the grace which was bestowed on me, James and Cephas and John, who appeared to be the pillars of the church, gave unto me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision: 10only desiring that we would remember the poor—the very thing which I have also been diligent to perform.
11But when Peter came to Antioch I withstood him to his face, because he was blameable. 12For before certain persons came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision. 13And the other Jews were guilty of the same dissimulation with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14But when I saw that they walked not directly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to judaize? 15We who are Jews by descent, and not sinners sprung from Gentiles, 16knowing 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 faith in Christ, and not by works of the law; because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17For if seeking to be justified by Christ, we also ourselves should be found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? God forbid. 18For if I build up again the very same things which I have pulled down, I stamp myself a transgressor.
19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I should live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ, yet I live; though no more I, but Christ liveth in me: and my present life in the flesh, is a life by faith in the Son of God, who hath loved me, and delivered up himself for me. 21I do not set at nought the grace of God; for if righteousness came by the law, truly Christ hath died in vain.
[CHAP. III.]
O INFATUATED Galatians, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth? To whom Jesus Christ has been described, as before your eyes, crucified among you. 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or from hearing of the faith? 3Are ye so senseless? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh? 4have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5He therefore who ministereth to you a supply of the Spirit, and powerfully worketh miracles among you, doth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of the faith? 6as Abraham believed in God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. 7Know then that they who are of faith, these are the children of Abraham. 8And the scripture foreseeing that by faith God would justify the Gentiles, preached the gospel before unto Abraham, saying, that “In thee shall all the nations be blessed[108].” 9Wherefore they who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.