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Galatians seems an overview of Christianity.
Galatians: Modern World Translation
followed by the New World Translation
Galatians 1:1-24 MWT
[Paul's account of his history and activity. He made clear we must listen only to Christ!]
. . .From the apostle Paul and from all the Lord's followers with me. I was chosen to be an apostle by Jesus Christ and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from death. No mere human chose or appointed me to this work. To the congregations in Galatia. (2) (SEE 1:1) (3) I pray that God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace! (4) Christ obeyed God our Father and gave himself as a sacrifice for our sins, to rescue us from this evil world and our sentence of death. (John 18:37; John 15:11-16) (5) God will be given glory forever and ever. Amen. (6) I am shocked that you have so quickly turned from God's message [the "truth" they heard from Jesus and his apostles as recorded in the Bible and in the words of Jesus Christ (John 17:13-17; John 17:20-26)]. He chose you because of his wonderful kindness. But now you have believed another message, (Mat 24:23-25) (7) when there is really only one true message provided in the words of Christ. Some people are causing you trouble and want to make you turn away from the good news about Christ. (8) I pray that God will punish anyone who preaches anything different from our message to you! It doesn't matter if that person is one of us or an angel from heaven. (9) I have said it before, and I will say it again. I hope God will punish anyone who preaches anything different from what you have already believed in the words of Christ. (10) It is not my desire to please people. I want to please God. Do you think I am trying to please people? If I were doing that, I certainly would not be a servant of Christ. (11) My friends, I want you to know that no one made up the message I preach. (12) This good news wasn't given or taught to me by some mere human. My message came directly from Jesus Christ when he appeared to me. (Acts 9:1-22) [As per this counsel of Paul, only the words of Jesus himself can be relied on as spiritual food!] (13) You know when I used to live as a Jew; I was cruel to God's church and even tried to destroy it. (14) I was more zealous as a Jew than anyone my age, and I obeyed every law that our ancestors had given us. (15) But even
before I was born
[while still in my mothers womb], God had chosen me. He was kind and had decided (16) to show me his Son, so that I would announce Jesus's message to the Gentiles. I didn't talk this over with anyone. (17) I didn't say a word, not even to the men in Jerusalem who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went at once to Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. (18) Three years later I went to visit Peter in Jerusalem and stayed with him for fifteen days. (19) I saw none of the other apostles there, only James, the Lord's brother. (20) And in the presence of God I swear I am telling the truth. (21) Later, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. (22) No one who belonged to Christ's churches in Judea had ever seen me in person. (23) They had only heard that the one who had persecuted Christianity was now preaching the message that he had once tried to destroy. (24) And because of me, they praised God.
[Dealing with men who wanted to elevate themselves as special. (Mat 23:1-15)Paul preached primarily to the Gentiles and Peter more-so to the Jews. They both taught all must abandon Judaism; as well as other religions, of course...]
Galatians 2:1-21 MWT . . .Fourteen years later I went to Jerusalem with Barnabas. I also took along Titus. (2) But I went there because God had told me to go, and I explained the good news that I had been preaching to the Gentiles. Then I met privately with the ones who had a good reputation. I wanted to make sure that my work in the past and my future work would not be for nothing. (3) Titus went to Jerusalem with me. He was a Greek, but still he wasn't compelled to be circumcised. [Some of the Jewish Christian converts were still ignorantly trying to follow and even force the Law of circumcision.] (4) We went there because of those who pretended to be followers and had sneaked in among us as spies. They had come to take away the freedom that Christ Jesus had given us, and they were trying to make us their slaves; asserting themselves as leaders. (Mat 23:1-15) (5) But we wanted you to have the true message. That's why we didn't give in to them, not even for a second. (6) Some of them asserted themselves as important leaders, but I didn't care who they were. God doesn't have any favorites! None of these so-called special leaders [superfine apostles] added anything to my message. (7) They realized that God had sent me with the good news for Gentiles, and that he had sent Peter with the same message for Jews. (8) God, who had sent Peter on a mission to the Jews, was now using me to preach to the Gentiles. (9) James, Peter, and John realized that God had given me the message about his undeserved kindness. And these men are supposed to be the backbone of the church. They even gave Barnabas and me a friendly handshake. This was to show that we would work with Gentiles and that they would work with Jews. (10) They only asked us to remember the poor, and that was something I had always been eager to do. (11) When Peter came to Antioch, I told him face to face that he was wrong. (12) He used to eat with Gentile followers of the Lord, until James sent some Jewish followers. Peter was afraid of the Jews and soon stopped eating with Gentiles. (13) He and the other Jews hid their true feelings so well that even Barnabas was fooled. (14) But when I saw that they were not really obeying the truth that is the good news, I corrected Peter in front of everyone and said: Peter, you are a Jew, but you live like a Gentile. So how can you force Gentiles to live like Jews? (15) We are Jews by birth and are not sinners like Gentiles. (16) But we know that God accepts only those who have faith in Jesus Christ. No one can please God by simply obeying the Law. So we put our faith in Christ Jesus, and God accepted us because of our faith. (17) When we Jews started looking for a way to please God, we discovered that we are sinners too. Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? No, it doesn't! (18) But if I tear down something and then build it again, I prove that I was wrong to tear it down. (19) It was the Law itself that killed me and freed me from its power, so that I could live for God. I have been nailed to the cross with Christ. (20) I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. (21) I don't turn my back on God's undeserved kindness. If we could be acceptable to God by obeying the Law, it was useless for Christ to die.
[Obedience to Law must be abandoned and replaced with faith in the spirit filled words of Christ. (John 6:63)]
Galatians 3:1-29 MWT You ignorant Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross [or stake or tree] to set us free. Has someone now put an evil spell on you? (2) I want to know only one thing. How were you given God's Spirit? Was it by obeying the Law of Moses or by hearing about Christ and having faith in his words? (John 6:63) (3) How can you be so stupid? Do you think that in yourself you can complete what God's Spirit started in you? (4) Have you gone through all of this for nothing? Is it all really for nothing? (5) God gives you his Spirit and works miracles in you. But does he do this because you obey the Law of Moses or because you have heard about Christ and have faith in his words? (6) The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith. (7) And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham. (Gal 3:19-26) (8) Long ago the Scriptures said that God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. That's why God told Abraham the good news that "all nations" would be blessed because of him. (9) This means that everyone who has faith will share in the blessings that were given to Abraham because of his faith. (10) Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, "Everyone who doesn't obey 'everything' in the Law is under a curse." [The Law Code is perfect so no imperfect human can keep it fully...] (11) No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, "The people God accepts because of their faith will live." (12) The Law isn't based on faith. It promises life only to people who obey its commands. (13) But Christ rescued us from the Law's curse, when he became a curse in our place. This is because the Scriptures say that anyone who is nailed to a tree is under a curse. (14) And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing that was promised to Abraham was extended to the Gentiles. This happened so that by faith we would be given the promised Holy Spirit. (15) My friends, I will use an everyday example to explain what I mean. Once someone agrees to something, no one else can change or cancel the agreement. (16) That is how it is with the promises God made to Abraham and his descendant. The promises were not made to many descendants, but only to one, and that one is Christ. (17) What I am saying is that the Law cannot change or cancel God's promise [to Abraham] that was made 430 years before the Law Code was given through Moses. (18) If we have to obey the Law in order to receive God's blessings, those blessings don't really come to us because of God's promise. But God was kind to Abraham and made him a promise. (19) What good, then, is the Law? It was given later to show that we are sinners in need of repentance. But the law was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendant who was given the promise. In fact, angels gave the Law to Moses, and he gave it to the people. (20) There is only one God, and the Law did not come directly from him. (21) Does the Law disagree with God's promises? No, it doesn't! If any law could give life to us, we could become acceptable to God by obeying that law. (22) But the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone, so that God's promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ and repents. (23) The Law of what to do controlled us and kept us under its power until the time came when we would have faith and be obedient because of it. (24) In fact, the Law was our teacher. It was supposed to teach us until we had faith and were acceptable to God. (25) But once a person has learned to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher. (26) All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. (27) And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. (28) Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. (29) So if you belong to Christ, you are adopted as part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised.
[Released from sin by faith in Christ to become sons of God!]
Galatians 4:1-31 MWT . . .Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though everything their parents own will someday be theirs. (2) This is because children are placed in the care of guardians and teachers until the time their parents have set. (3) That is how it was with us. We were like children ruled by the powers of this world. (4) But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His perfect Son obeyed the Law, (5) so his sacrifice could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children. (6) Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. (John 6:63) And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. (7) You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, (John 15:11-16) and you will be given what he has promised. (8) Before you knew יהוה, you were slaves of gods that are not real. (9) But now you know the true God, or better still, יהוה knows you; how can you turn back and become the slaves of those weak and pitiful powers? (10) You even celebrate certain days, months, seasons, and years. (11) I am afraid I have wasted my time working with you. (12) My friends, I beg you to be like me, just as I once tried to be like you. Did you mistreat me (13) when I first preached to you? No you didn't, even though you knew I had come there because I was sick. (14) My illness must have caused you some trouble, but you didn't hate me or turn me away because of it. You welcomed me as though I were one of God's angels or even Christ Jesus himself. (15) Where is that good feeling now? I am sure that if it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me. (16) Am I now your enemy, just because I told you the truth? (17) Those people may be paying you a lot of attention, but it isn't for your good. They only want to keep you away from me, so you will give them glory. (18) It is always good to give your attention to something worthwhile, even when I am not with you. (19) My children, I am in terrible pain until Christ may be seen living in you. (20) I wish I were with you now. Then I would not have to talk this way. You really have me puzzled. (21) Some of you would like to be under the rule of the Law of Moses. But do you know what the Law says? (22) In the Scriptures we learn that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one of them was a slave, while the mother of the other one had always been free. (23) The son of the slave woman was born in the usual way. But the son of the free woman was born because of God's promise. (24) All of this has another meaning as well. Each of the two women stands for one of the agreements God made with his people. Hagar, the slave woman, stands for the agreement that was made at Mount Sinai; the Law Code through Moses. Everyone born into her family is a slave. (25) Hagar also stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and for the present city of Jerusalem. She and her children are slaves [under Law]. (26) But our mother is the city of New Jerusalem in heaven above, (Rev 21:1-4) and she isn't a slave. (27) The Scriptures say about her, "You have never had children, but now you can be glad. You have never given birth, but now you can shout. Once you had no children, but now you will have more children than a woman who has been married for a long time." (28) My friends, you were born because of this promise, just as Isaac was. (29) But the child who was born in the natural way made trouble for the child who was born because of the Spirit. The same thing is happening today. (30) The Scriptures say, "Get rid of the slave woman and her son! He won't be given anything. The son of the free woman will receive everything." (31) My friends, we who express faith in Christ are children of the free woman and not of the slave.
[Faith in what Christ taught set us free. Do not let yourself be brought under the influence of Religionists and their many and varied doctrines {their human laws} of faith.]
Galatians 5:1-26 MWT . . .Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don't ever become slaves of Law again. (2) I, Paul, promise you that Christ won't do you any good if you get circumcised [follow Jewish Law; or certainly any human laws]. (3) If you do, you must obey the whole Law. (4) And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his wonderful kindness. (5) But the Spirit makes us sure that God will accept us because of our faith in Christ. (6) If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, it makes no difference whether you are circumcised or not. All that matters is your faith that makes you love others. (7) You were doing so well until someone misled you to turn from the truth. (Mark 13:19-23) (8) And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you. (9) A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, (10) but you belong to the Lord. That makes me certain that you will do what I say, instead of what someone else tells you to do. Whoever is causing trouble for you will be punished. (11) My friends, if I still preach that people need to be circumcised, why am I in so much trouble from this world? The message about the cross would no longer bring abuse from the Jews, if I told people to be circumcised. (12) I wish that everyone who is upsetting you would not only get circumcised, but would cut off much more! (13) My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. (14) All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself. (15) But if you keep attacking each other like wild animals, you had better watch out or you will destroy yourselves. (16) If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. (17) The Spirit and your fleshly desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. (18) But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you. (19) People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. (20) They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are (21) envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom. (22) God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, (23) gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. (24) And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires. (25) God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. (26) But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.
Galatians 6:1-18 MWT . . .My friends, you are spiritual [you who are Christians (Acts 11:26)]. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. (2) You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand. (3) If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong. (Mat 23:1-15) (4) Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others. (Isa 45:22-25) (5) We each must carry our own load. (6) Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said. (7) You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. (8) If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. (9) Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. (10) We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord. (11) You can see what big letters I make when I write with my own hand. (12) Those people who are telling you to get circumcised are only trying to show how important they are. And they don't want to get into trouble for preaching about the cross of Christ. (13) They are circumcised, but they don't obey the Law of Moses. All they want is to brag about having you circumcised. (14) But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned. (15) It doesn't matter if you are circumcised or not. All that matters is that you are a new person [a New Creation]. (16) If you follow this rule, of trying to become a new creation, you will belong to God's true people [the Israel of God]. God will treat you with undeserved kindness and will bless you with peace. (17) On my own body are scars that prove I belong to Christ Jesus. So I don't want anyone to trouble me anymore. (18) My friends, I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you! Amen.
Galatians: New World Translation
To the Galatians
[Paul's account of his history and activity. We must listen only to Christ!]
1 Paul, an apostle, neither from men nor through a man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him up from the dead, 2 and all the brothers with me, to the congregations of Galatia:
3 May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and [the] Lord Jesus Christ. 4 He [Jesus] gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from the present wicked system of things according to the will of our God and Father, (John 18:37; John 15:11-16) 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that you are being so quickly removed from the One who called you with Christ's undeserved kindness [the "truth" recorded in the Bible and in the words of Jesus Christ (John 17:13-17; John 17:20-26)] over to another sort of good news. (Mat 24:23-25) 7 But it is not another; only there are certain ones who are causing you trouble and wanting to pervert the good news about the Christ. 8 However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said above, I also now say again, Whoever it is that is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed.
10 Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were yet pleasing men, I would not be Christ's slave. 11 For I put you on notice, brothers, that the good news which was declared by me as good news is not something human; 12 for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught [it], except through revelation by Jesus Christ. (Acts 9:1-22) [As per this counsel of Paul, only the words of Jesus himself can be relied on as truth!]
13 You, of course, heard about my conduct formerly in Judaism, that to the point of excess I kept on persecuting the congregation of God and devastating it, 14 and I was making greater progress in Judaism than many of my own age in my race, as I was far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called [me] through his undeserved kindness, thought good 16 to reveal his Son in connection with me, that I might declare the good news about him to the nations, I did not go at once into conference with flesh and blood. 17 Neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles previous to me, but I went off into Arabia, and I came back again to Damascus.
18 Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 But I saw no one else of the apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. 20 Now as to the things I am writing you, look! in the sight of God, I am not lying.
21 After that I went into the regions of Syria and of Cilicia. 22 But I was unknown by face to the congregations of Judea that were in union with Christ; 23 they only used to hear: "The man that formerly persecuted us is now declaring the good news about the faith which he formerly devastated." 24 So they began glorifying God because of me.
[Dealing with men who wanted to elevate themselves as special. (Mat 23:1-15)Paul preached primarily to the Gentiles and Peter more-so to the Jews. All must abandon Judaism...]
2:1 Then after fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking also Titus along with me. 2 But I went up as a result of a revelation. And I laid before them the good news which I am preaching among the nations, privately, however, before those who were outstanding men, for fear that somehow I was running or had run in vain. 3 Nevertheless, not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. [Some of the Jewish Christian converts were still ignorantly trying to follow and compel the Law of circumcision.] 4 But because of the false brothers brought in quietly, who sneaked in to spy upon our freedom which we have in union with Christ Jesus, that they might completely enslave us- 5 to these we did not yield by way of submission, no, not for an hour, in order that the truth of the good news might continue with you.
6 But on the part of those who seemed to be something-whatever sort of men they formerly were makes no difference to me-God does not go by a man's outward appearance-to me, in fact, those outstanding men imparted nothing new. 7 But, on the contrary, when they saw that I had entrusted to me the good news for those who are uncircumcised, just as Peter [had it] for those who are circumcised- 8 for He who gave Peter powers necessary for an apostleship to those who are circumcised gave powers also to me for those who are of the nations; 9 yes, when they came to know the undeserved kindness that was given me, James and Cephas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of sharing together, that we should go to the nations, but they to those who are circumcised. 10 Only we should keep the poor in mind. This very thing I have also earnestly endeavored to do.
11 However, when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him face to face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before the arrival of certain men from James, he used to eat with people of the nations; but when they arrived, he went withdrawing and separating himself, in fear of those of the circumcised class. 13 The rest of the Jews also joined him in putting on this pretense, so that even Barnabas was led along with them in their pretense. 14 But when I saw they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news, I said to Cephas before them all: "If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?"
15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners from the nations, 16 knowing as we do that a man is declared righteous, not due to works of law, but only through faith toward Christ Jesus, even we have put our faith in Christ Jesus, that we may be declared righteous due to faith toward Christ, and not due to works of law, because due to works of law no flesh will be declared righteous. 17 Now if we, in seeking to be declared righteous by means of Christ, have also ourselves been found sinners, is Christ in reality sin's minister? May that never happen! 18 For if the very things that I once threw down I build up again, I demonstrate myself to be a transgressor. 19 As for me, through law I died toward law, that I might become alive toward God. 20 I am impaled along with Christ. It is no longer I that live, but it is Christ that is living in union with me. Indeed, the life that I now live in flesh I live by the faith that is toward the Son of God, who loved me and handed himself over for me. 21 I do not shove aside the undeserved kindness of God; for if righteousness is through law, Christ actually died for nothing.
[Law must be abandoned for faith in the spirit filled words of Christ. (John 6:63)]
3:1 O senseless Galatians, who is it that brought you under evil influence, you before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed impaled? 2 This alone I want to learn from you: Did you receive the spirit due to works of law or due to a hearing by faith? 3 Are you so senseless? After starting in spirit are you now being completed in flesh? 4 Did you undergo so many sufferings to no purpose? If it really was to no purpose. 5 He, therefore, who supplies you the spirit and performs powerful works among you, does he do it owing to works of law or owing to a hearing by faith? 6 Just as Abraham "put faith in Jehovah (יהוה), and it was counted to him as righteousness." [You should know Jehovah is not God's personal name. It is the Hebrew name
יהוה as recorded over 6000 times in the original largely Hebrew Old Testament text. It is pronounced Yea•Vah as in "Yea" go team followed by "Vah" like the first two letters of "Vault".]
[Released by faith in Christ to become sons of God!]
4:1 Now I say that as long as the heir is a babe he does not differ at all from a slave, lord of all things though he is, 2 but he is under men in charge and under stewards until the day his father appointed beforehand. 3 Likewise we also, when we were babes, continued enslaved by the elementary things belonging to the world. 4 But when the full limit of the time arrived, God sent forth his Son, who came to be out of a woman and who came to be under law, 5 that he might release by purchase those under law, that we, in turn, might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Now because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts (John 6:63) and it cries out: "Abba, Father!" 7 So, then, you are no longer a slave but a son; (John 15:11-16) and if a son, also an heir through God.
8 Nevertheless, when you did not know God, then it was that you slaved for those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather now that you have come to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and beggarly elementary things and want to slave for them over again? 10 you are scrupulously observing days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have toiled to no purpose respecting you.
12 Brothers, I beg you, Become as I am, because I used to be also as you are. you did me no wrong. 13 But you know that it was through a sickness of my flesh I declared the good news to you the first time. 14 And what was a trial to you in my flesh, you did not treat with contempt or spit at in disgust; but you received me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. 15 Where, then, is that happiness you had? For I bear you witness that, if it had been possible, you would have gouged out YOUR eyes and given them to me. 16 Well, then, have I become YOUR enemy because I tell you the truth? 17 They zealously seek you, not in a fine way, but they want to shut you off [from me], that you may zealously seek them. 18 However, it is fine for you to be zealously sought for in a fine cause at all times, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, with whom I am again in childbirth pains until Christ is formed in you. 20 But I could wish to be present with you just now and to speak in a different way, because I am perplexed over you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, Do you not hear the Law? 22 For example, it is written that Abraham acquired two sons, one by the servant girl and one by the free woman; 23 but the one by the servant girl was actually born in the manner of flesh, the other by the free woman through a promise. 24 These things stand as a symbolic drama; for these [women] mean two covenants, the one [the Law Code] from Mount Sinai, which brings forth children for slavery, and which is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar means Sinai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above (Rev 21:1-4) is free, and she is our mother.
27 For it is written: "Be glad, you barren woman who does not give birth; break out and cry aloud, you woman who does not have childbirth pains; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than [those] of her who has the husband." 28 Now we, brothers, are children belonging to the promise the same as Isaac was. 29 But just as then the one born in the manner of flesh began persecuting the one born in the manner of spirit, so also now. 30 Nevertheless, what does the Scripture say? "Drive out the servant girl and her son, for by no means shall the son of the servant girl be an heir with the son of the free woman." 31 Wherefore, brothers, we are children, not of a servant girl, but of the free woman.
[Faith in what Christ taught set us free. Do not let yourself be brought under the influence of Religionists and their many and varied doctrines {human laws} of faith.]
5:1 For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast, and do not let yourselves be confined again in a yoke of slavery.
2 See! I, Paul, am telling you that if you become circumcised [follow Jewish Law; or certainly any human laws], Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Moreover, I bear witness again to every man getting circumcised that he is under obligation to perform the whole Law. 4 you are parted from Christ, whoever you are that try to be declared righteous by means of law; you have fallen away from his undeserved kindness. 5 For our part we by spirit are eagerly waiting for the hoped-for righteousness as a result of faith. 6 For as regards Christ Jesus neither circumcision is of any value nor is uncircumcision, but faith operating through love [is].
7 you were running well. Who hindered you from keeping on obeying the truth? 8 This sort of persuasion is not from the One calling you. 9 A little leaven ferments the whole lump. 10 I am confident about you who are in union with [the] Lord that you will not come to think otherwise; but the one who is causing you trouble will bear [his] judgment, no matter who he may be. 11 As for me, brothers, if I am [were] still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then, indeed, the stumbling block of the torture stake [the good works of Christ] has been abolished. 12 I wish the men who are trying to overturn you [by encouraging circumcision] would even get themselves emasculated [castrated or worse].
13 you were, of course, called for freedom, brothers; only do not use this freedom as an inducement for the flesh, but through love slave for one another. 14 For the entire Law stands fulfilled in one saying, namely: "You must love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If, though, you keep on biting and devouring one another, look out that you do not get annihilated by one another.
16 But I say, Keep walking by spirit and you will carry out no fleshly desire at all. 17 For the flesh is against the spirit in its desire, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, so that the very things that you would like to do you do not do. 18 Furthermore, if you are being led by spirit, you are not under law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, 20 idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, 21 envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning you, the same way as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God's kingdom.
22 On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus impaled the flesh together with its passions and desires.
25 If we are living by spirit, let us go on walking orderly also by spirit. 26 Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another.
6:1 Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications [you who are Christians (Acts 11:26)] try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted. 2 Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and thus fulfill the law of the Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, (Mat 23:1-15) he is deceiving his own mind. 4 But let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. (Isa 45:22-25) 5 For each one will carry his own load.
6 Moreover, let anyone who is being orally taught the word share in all good things with the one who gives such oral teaching.
7 Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap; 8 because he who is sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but he who is sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit. 9 So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due season we shall reap if we do not tire out. 10 Really, then, as long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to [us] in the faith.
11 SEE with what large letters I have written you with my own hand.
12 All those who want to make a pleasing appearance in the flesh are the ones that try to compel you to get circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ, Jesus. 13 For not even do those who are getting circumcised keep the Law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised that they may have cause for boasting in YOUR flesh. 14 Never may it occur that I should boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been impaled to me and I to the world. 15 For neither is circumcision anything nor is uncircumcision, but a new creation [is something]. 16 And all those who will walk orderly by this rule of conduct, upon them be peace and mercy, even upon the Israel of God.
17 Henceforth let no one be making trouble for me, for I am carrying on my body the brand marks [of a slave] of Jesus.
18 The undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with the spirit you [show], brothers. Amen.
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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:
ALT - Analytical Literal Translation
ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).
Darby - 1889 Darby Bible
DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible
BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English
LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
KJV - King James Version
MKJV - Modern King James Version
NWT - New World Translation
Webster - 1833 Webster Bible
RV - Revised Version
YLT - Young's Literal Translation
