I am surprised that you are being changed so quickly to another good message, away from
the one who called you in generosity. It isn't that there is another good message, except to some
who are troubling you and who want to overturn the good message of the Anointed One. On
the contrary: even if a messenger from heaven should announce a good message to you that is
different than what you received, let him be cursed!
For to this moment, am I being persuaded by human beings or by God? Or am I seeking
to please people? If I were pleasing people, I wouldn't be a slave of the Anointed One. But I
am making known to you, brothers, that the good message that was announced to you is not
from a human being. For I neither received it from nor was taught it by a human being, but
through a revelation of Anointed Jesus.
For you heard of my conduct when I was in Judaism: I overly persecuted God's assembly
and was eradicating it. Also, I was making progress in Judaism beyond many people my own
age of my race, since I was more of a Zealot for the traditions of my ancestors.
But when it was well-pleasing to the one who set me apart from the time I left my
mother's womb and called me (on account of his generosity) to reveal his son to me, so that I
might announce him to the gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood. Nor
did I go up into Jerusalem to those who were envoys before me. Instead, I went up into Arabia
and returned again to Damaskus. Then, after three years, I went into Jerusalem to inquire of
Kefa and continued on with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any of the other envoys
except for Jacob, the Lord's brother. Now I am writing this in the presence of God: I am not
lying.
Then I went into the region of Syria and Kilikia, but my face was unknown to those
Judean assemblies which are in the Anointed One. Instead, they had only been hearing that
"the one who was once persecuting us is now announcing the good message of the faith which
he was once eradicating." And they were glorifying God in me.
Then, fourteen years later, I went up again into Jerusalem with Bar-Nabas, taking
along Titus also. Now I went according to a revelation and submitted to them the good message
that I am heralding among the gentiles. Now I did this by myself to those who are thought
well of, lest I should be running (or had been running) for something worthless.
But not even Titus (the one who was with me, who was Greek) needed to be
circumcised. Now this was happening on account of those false brothers who were gathering
around. These people came in among us to scope out the freedom that we hold in Anointed
Jesus, so that they might totally enslave us.
Not even for one hour did we yield to them in submission, in order that the truth of the
good message might continue in your direction. But from those who are thought to be
something, these who are thought of communicated nothing to me. Whatever they were, it
means nothing to me: God does not accept human appearance. But on the contrary, when
they saw that I was entrusted with the good message to the foreskinned, just as Peter to the
circumcised, and when they realized the generosity that had been granted me, Jacob and Peter
and Johannes (those who are thought to be pillars) gave Bar-Nabas and me the right hand of
fellowship. (For the one who was working out a dispatch to the circumcision in Peter was also
working in me for the gentiles.) They only said that we remember the poor; I was already
trying hard to do this.
But when Kefa came into Antiochus, I opposed him to his face because he was at fault.
For he used to eat with the gentiles before someone came from Jacob. But when he came, he
withdrew from them and separated himself off because he feared those of the circumcision.
And the other Jews separated themselves along with him. And so, Bar-Nabas was also led
astray to their hypocrisy.
But when I noticed they were not walking properly toward the truth of the good message,
I said to Kefa in everyone's presence, "If you who are a Jew live like a gentile, why are you
forcing the gentiles to Judaize? We are Jews by nature and are not sinners of the gentiles.
Knowing that no one is justified out of works of the Torah, except through trust in Anointed
Jesus, we have also trusted in Anointed Jesus, so that we may be justified out of trust in the
Anointed One and not out of works of a code."
Because no flesh will be justified out of works of a code. Now if we are seeking to be
justified in the Anointed One and we are found to be sinners, then is the Anointed One a
servant of sin? May it not happen! For if I let all those things fall down that I have
constructed, then I make myself a wanderer. For I died through the Torah so that I might live
through God. I have been crucified with the Anointed One.
But I am alive. It is no longer I, but the Anointed One lives in me. And the life that I
now live physically, I live trusting in God and the Anointed One, who loved me and gave himself
up on my behalf. I am not setting aside God's generosity: for if there is justification through the
Torah, then the Anointed One died meaninglessly.
You mindless Galatians! Who has deluded you? Anointed Jesus was written out earlier
for you as crucified, before your eyes. I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the
spirit out of works of the Torah, or out of a trusting hearing?
You are so mindless! You who started spiritually, are you now being made complete
physically? You have suffered so many things for nothing, if indeed it is for nothing. Therefore,
is the one who supplies you with the breath and works wonders among you doing so out of
works of the Torah, or out of a trusting hearing? Just as Abraham "trusted God and it
was recorded for him as justification."
Surely you know that those who belong to trust, these are Abraham's sons. Now since the
writing foresaw that God would justify the nations out out of trust, it previously announced the
good message to Abraham that "in you all the nations will be praised." And so, those who
belong to trust are praised along with trusting Abraham.
For as many as there are who belong to works of a code are under a curse. For it was
written that, "A curse is on each one who does not continue in each of the things to do
which are written in the scroll of the Torah."
But it is clear that no one is made right before God by the Torah, because, "The
just one shall live out of trust." Now the Torah is not out of trust. On the contrary, "The
one who has done these things will live in them." An Anointed One has bought us out
of the Torah's curse, becoming a curse on our behalf--because it was written, "Each one
who hangs on a tree is cursed "--so that in Anointed Jesus the praise of Abraham might
happen to the nations and so that through trust we might receive the praise of the Spirit.
Brothers, I am telling you according to human reasoning: although human, no one sets
aside or makes further changes to a covenant that has been ratified. Now the promises were
spoken to Abraham and to his "seed". It does not say, "and to the seeds," as though it were about
many, but as though it were about one: "and to your seed," which is the Anointed One.
Now I say this: The Torah--which occurred after four hundred and thirty years--does not
annul a covenant ratified earlier by God to the point of canceling the promise. For if the
inheritance came through the Torah, it would no longer be out of the promise. But God gave
it freely to Abraham through a promise.
Then why the code of actions? It was arranged by messengers in the hand of a mediator
until the seed would come (to whom the promises were given). But a mediator is not the
mediator of one person, but God is one. So is the Torah against the promises? May it not
happen!
For if a code were given which was able to give life, there would have even been
justification in the Torah. But the writing has sealed up everyone together under sin, so that
the promise of Anointed Jesus' trust would be given to those who trust.
Now before the coming of the trust, we were being guarded under the Torah, sealed
together for the trust that was about to be revealed. And so, the Torah was our schoolmaster.
This occurred until the Anointed One, so that we might be made right out of trust. But since the
trust came, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For you are God's sons on account of
Anointed Jesus' trust.
For as many as have been baptized into the Anointed One have been clothed with the
Anointed One. "There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no
'male and female.'" For you are all one in Anointed Jesus. Now if you are the
Anointed One's, you are surely the seed of Abraham.
According to the promise, you are heirs. But I say this: As long a time as the heir is a
baby, he is no different from a slave, although he is lord of all. But he is under guardians and
stewards until the time determined earlier by the father. It is also this way with us. When we
were babies, we were enslaved under the elements of creation. But when the full amount of
time went by, God sent out his son (born of a woman, born under the Torah), so that he might
redeem those who were under the Torah--so that we might receive sonship.
Now because you are sons, God sent out his spirit into our hearts, calling out "Dad!
Father!" And so, you are no longer a slave, but a son. Now if you are a son, you are also an
heir on account of God.
But then indeed, when you didn't know God, you were a slave to those who by nature are
not gods. But now, since you know God (or rather, are known by God), how can you turn again
to those weak and poor elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them again, as you were
from the beginning--observing days, and new moons, and seasons, and years? I am afraid for
you...perhaps I have labored for you in vain?
Brothers, I am begging you: become as I am, for I also became as you are. You did me
no wrong. Now you know that I previously announced the good message to you through a
weakness of the flesh, and that you did not despise my test in the flesh. On the contrary,
you embraced me as a messenger of God, as Anointed Jesus.
So, where is your blessedness? For I am testifying to you that you would have plucked
out your eyes and given them to me, if it were possible. And so, have I become your enemy by
being truthful? They are jealous for you: not in a nice way; rather, they want to sequester you,
so that you would be jealous for them. Now it is always a nice thing to be jealous in a nice way
and not only during the time when I present myself to you.
My children, with whom I am pregnant again until the Anointed One is formed in you: I
might want to present myself to you now, and to change the way I sound, because I am confused
about you. Tell me, you who want to be under a code, don't you hear the Torah? For it was
written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant woman and one by the freewoman. But
the one by the servant woman was born according to the flesh, but the one by the freewoman
was born through a promise. These things are symbolic. For these things are the two
covenants, one indeed from Mount Sinai giving birth to children for slavery--that is, Hagar.
Now Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, but it represents the modern Jerusalem. For she and her
children are in slavery. But the original Jerusalem is a free woman; this one is our mother. For
it was written, " Have a good attitude, barren woman who is not bearing children!
Break out and shout, you who are not in labor! Because there are many more children of the
one who was deserted than of the one who has the husband."
Now brothers, you are children of a promise, represented by Isaak. But just as the one
who was born then according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the
spirit, it is also the same way now. But what does the writing say? " Cast away the
servant woman and her son. For the son of the servant woman will by no means inherit along
with the son " of the free woman. Then, brothers, we are not children of a servant
woman, but of a free woman.
The Anointed One freed us for freedom. Therefore, stand in the freedom for which the
Anointed One freed us, and do not again be held in a yoke of slavery. Look, I Paulus am telling
you that if you should get circumcised, the Anointed One will be worth nothing to you. Now I
am testifying again to everyone who gets circumcised that he is bound to do the whole Torah.
You who are justifying yourselves in the Torah are causing the Anointed One to pass away. You
have fallen out of favor.
For we are watching spiritually in trust for a hope of being made right. For in Anointed
Jesus neither circumcision nor a foreskin is strong, but trust working through love is strong. You
were running nicely. Who hindered you from being persuaded by the truth? This persuasion is
not from the one who is calling you; a little leaven ferments the whole mass.
I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will have no other attitude, but the one
who is causing you trouble will bear the judgment, whoever he may be. Now brothers, if I
were still heralding circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then has the stumbling block
of the cross passed away? Then [I want that] those who are capsizing you should also cut
themselves off!
For you were called to freedom, brothers, only not to freedom as an opportunity for the
flesh. On the contrary, be slaves to one another through love. For all of the Torah is summed
up in this one saying, "You will love your neighbor as yourself." But if you
bite and devour one another, see to it that you not be eaten up by one another. Now I say,
"walk spiritually" and do not fulfill the strong desires of the flesh:
For the flesh strongly desires against the spirit; now the spirit strongly desires
against the flesh. For these things are opposed to one another, so that you don't do what you
want to do. Now if you are led spiritually, you are not under a code, but the works of the flesh
are apparent; these are: prostitution, moral uncleanliness, debauchery, idolatry, sorcery;
enmity, strife, jealousy, rage, bigotry, group divisions, factions, envyings; drunkenness, drinking
parties, and things like these. I tell you in advance about these, just as I said before, that
those who practice these things will not inherit God's kingdom. But the spirit's fruit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, truthfulness, trust, meekness, self-control. The Torah is not
against these. But those who belong to the Anointed One have crucified the flesh, along with the
passions and strong desires. "If we live spiritually, we should walk orderly and spiritually." We
should not become worthlessly conceited, challenging one another and envying one
another.
Brothers, if a person should even be surprised by any fault, you who are spiritual should
restore that one in a spirit of meekness, watching yourself so that you would not also be
tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and fulfill the Anointed One's code in this way. For if
someone thinks himself to be something, he is deceiving himself, since he is nothing. But he
should prove his own work, and then he will have boasting in himself alone, and not in another
person. For each one will bear his own load.
The one who is being instructed the message should share in all good things with the
one who is teaching. Make no mistake: God is not to be mocked. For whatever things a person
may sow, he will also reap these things. Because the one who sows for his flesh will reap
corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows for the spirit will reap eternal life from the
spirit. Now we should not do a poor job of doing a nice thing, for in its own season we will reap
if we do not let things go. So then, as we have the season, we should work good toward all
people, but especially toward the household of the faith.
Look at how few things I have written in letters to you with my own hand. As many
as want to appear good in the flesh, these people are forcing you to be circumcised. They do
this only so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Anointed Jesus. For not even the
circumcised themselves are keeping the Torah. On the contrary, they want you to be circumcised
so that they may boast in your flesh. But it is not for me to boast, except in the cross of our
Lord, Anointed Jesus, through which the creation was crucified to me, and I to the creation.
For neither is circumcision anything, nor is a foreskin; but a new creation is something! And as
many as will walk rightly in this rule, there will be mercy and peace upon them, and on God's
Israel.
What remains is this: let no one cause me troubles, for I bear in my body the marks of
Jesus. May the favor of our Lord, Anointed Jesus, be with your spirit, brothers. A-mein.
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