Greetings from Paul

Salutation

1 This letter is from Paul, a missionary of Yeshua, not chosen by people or any human desire, but chosen directly by Yeshua the messiah and God the father who raised Yeshua from the dead. 2 On behalf of all the believers here, I’m writing to the assemblies of believers in Galatia.

3 May you all experience the grace and peace that comes from God the father and our master Yeshua the messiah—4 the one who gave himself for our sins and to rescue us out of this present, evil age according to the desire of God our father 5 who will be praised even through future ages. May it be so.

6 I’m astounded that you’ve all so quickly replaced the good message that you heard from the one who called you to the grace of the messiah. You’ve replaced it with another narrative 7 which is not at all another good message, but rather comes from those who are confusing you and wanting to alter the actual good message about the messiah. 8 Even if either we ourselves or even a messenger out of heaven were to preach a different ‘good message’ which disagrees with the good message that we first preached to you, then they should be cursed. 9 As we have previously said, and even now say it again: if anyone preaches a ‘good message’ to you that’s different from what you already heard, let that person be cursed.

10 Am I trying to please and persuade people or God? If I was still trying to please people, I wouldn’t be a worthy slave of the messiah.

11 I’m letting you all know, brothers and sisters, that the good message I proclaimed didn’t just come from human ideas. 12 It didn’t come from my ideas nor was I taught it by some other person, but it was revealed to me by Yeshua the messiah.

13 You’ve all heard about my previous behaviour when as a strict Jew, I was extreme in persecuting[ref] the assembly of God’s people and was trying to destroy them. 14 I was progressing in Judaism[ref] quicker than many of my contemporaries, being so much more zealous in observing our ancient traditions.

15 But God who’d planned this from even before I was born,[ref] because of his grace he called me 16 so that he could reveal his son through me and could preach the good message to non-Jews. I didn’t rush to get advice from others, 17 nor did I head to Yerushalem to consult with the ambassadors there that preceded me, but I went away to Arabia and then later returned to Damascus. 18 Then finally after three years I went to Yerushalem[ref] to get to know Peter, and stayed with him for just over two weeks. 19 I didn’t meet any of the other ambassadors other than Yeshua’s brother, Yacob, 20 and what I’m writing to you, I’m writing with God watching, so I’m not lying.

21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 The assemblies back in Yudea believing in the messiah didn’t know me by sight 23 but had only heard about me—that the person who’d once been persecuting them was now preaching the good message about the faith himself, 24 and they praised God because of what had happened to me.

2 It was fourteen years later that I made the uphill trek to Yerushalem[ref] with Barnabas and taking Titos along as well. 2 God had told me to go there and I explained to the leaders there the good message that I’d been proclaiming to the non-Jews. I did it privately to double-check that I wasn’t somehow just acting vainly. 3 But not even Titos who was with me was compelled to be circumcised even though he is a Greek. 4 However some false brothers were sneaked in to monitor the freedoms that we have in the messiah, Yeshua, and wanting us to be enslaved to their traditions. 5 But we didn’t even submit to them for one hour, so that the truth of the good message could continue amongst you.

6 [ref]And those people who were supposed leaders (although what they were didn’t mean much to me because God doesn’t go by appearances) didn’t really contribute anything useful as far as I could tell. 7 Instead, they saw that I’ve been entrusted with taking the good message to the non-Jews just like Peter was entrusted to take it to the Jews 8 because the same God who worked in Peter to commission him to the Jews also worked in me to commission me towards the non-Jews. 9 So seeing the grace that God had shown towards me, Yacob and Peter and Yohan, the apparent pillars of the assemblies accepted me and Barnabas as equals, so that we could go to the non-Jews and them to the Jews. 10 Also they said that we need to keep helping the poor, but I was eager to do that anyway.

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, because he had messed up. 12 He’d been eating with non-Jews, but when Yacob and companions arrived, he about-faced and started eating separately because he was afraid of being criticised by the strict Jews. 13 The other Jews with him were also being hypocrites, so much so that even Barnabas joined their hypocrisy, 14 but when I saw that they weren’t being honest with the truth of the good message, I had to say to Peter in front of everybody, “If you Jews are living more like non-Jews and not like strict Jews, how can you force non-Jews to obey all the Jewish traditions?”

15 We follow Jewish laws and not the customs of other nations, 16 but we know that we’re not saved by following rules[ref] but only by faith in Yeshua the messiah. So we’ve believed in Yeshua the messiah so that we can be made guiltless by our faith in the messiah, and not by obeying all those rules, because all of those rules can never make any person guiltless. 17 However if we attempt to be made guiltless through the messiah yet find that we’re sinners, does that mean that the messiah is servant to sin? That could never be so! 18 If I rebuild what I’ve already torn down, that would show me to be a law-breaker. 19 [ref]It was the law that showed me that I needed die to the idea of following the law so that I could live to serve God instead. I was executed on a post along with the messiah 20 and I’m not living any more, but it’s the messiah now living in me. The way that my body stays alive now is by living by faith in God’s son—the one who loved me and allowed himself to be executed for me. 21 I’m not rejecting God’s grace, because if the law could make me guiltless, that would mean that the messiah died unnecessarily.

The freedom of faith

Faith or Observance of the Law

The Law and Faith in Christ

Law or Faith

3 You foolish Galatians, who tricked you into changing? You know that Yeshua the messiah was publicly known to have been executed by being nailed to[ref] a post. 2 So I just want to ask you one thing: did you receive the spirit from obeying all the rules, or was it by faith when you heard? 3 So aren’t you being foolish? Having begun in the spirit, now you’re all focussing back on bodily discipline. 4 You vainly endured so many things—it was vain wasn’t it? 5 So the one who gave the spirit to you and worked miracles among you all, did all that come about from obeying the rules or by the faith that came from hearing the good message?

6 Abraham[ref] believed in God and was declared guiltless as a result. 7 So now anyone who exercises faith is a descendant of Abraham.[ref] 8 [ref]The writers of the scriptures foresaw that God was going to make non-Jews guiltless through faith when he promised to Abraham that all the nations would be blessed through him, 9 so those who have faith that Yeshua is the messiah will be blessed just as Abraham was blessed for believing God.

10 All those who strive to be saved by obeying the law are under a curse, because it’s written that ‘everyone is cursed who doesn’t live by and fulfil everything that’s been written down in the scroll of the law’.[ref] 11 It’s clear that no one can be made guiltless before God because it’s written that ‘those who are guiltless will live by faith’.[ref] 12 And the law doesn’t produce faith, but ‘the person who obeys these things is the one who will live’.[ref]

13 The messiah saved us from the curse of the law by becoming the curse for our sake, because it’s written, ‘anyone who is hung on a tree is cursed’.[ref] 14 He paid the price for us so that the blessing for Abraham would also reach the non-Jews through the messiah Yeshua and we all would be able to receive the spirit through faith.

15 Brothers and sisters, consider our human ways: once an agreement has been accepted, one party can’t just reject it now or add conditions. 16 The promises were given to Abraham and to his offspring. It doesn’t say ‘offsprings (plural)’ but is only referring to the one which is the messiah. 17 So what I’m telling you is that the agreement with Abraham that was previously ratified by God, was not annulled 430 years later[ref] when the law was given to Mosheh and nor was the promise nullified. 18 [ref]Because if the inheritance now came by obeying the law, then it could no longer be the result of the promise, but God had already granted it to Abraham via the promise.

The Purpose of the Law

19 So what was the law for then? Because of sinfulness, it was added until the promised descendant would come. It was directed through messengers and entrusted to Mosheh as a mediator. 20 You don’t need a mediator if there’s only one party involved, and God is one.

21 So does the law oppose God’s promises? Certainly not, because if the law was able to give life, you could become guiltless by obeying the law. 22 The scriptures explain that everyone is imprisoned by sin so that by faith in Yeshua the messiah, the promise could be granted to those who believe.

23 Before faith could come, we were guarded under the law—imprisoned so that faith could be revealed.

God’s Children through Faith

24 So the law was our tutor until the messiah came so that we could then be made guiltless by faith, 25 and now that we’ve come to faith, we’re no longer under our tutor.

Sons of God

26 So you’re all children of God through faith in the messiah, Yeshua, 27 because everyone who’s been immersed to obey the messiah, is now cloaked in the messiah. 28 Then there’s no Jew or Greek, no slave or free person, no male or female, because you’re all identified as being in the messiah, Yeshua. 29 [ref]And if you’re in the messiah, then now you’re Abraham’s descendant and so you’re heirs of that promise.

Life under the law

4 But as long as the heir is underage, he’s no wealthier than a slave (even though he’ll become the master) 2 but he is under guardians and managers until he reaches the age that his father specified. 3 So it is with us—when we were infants we were enslaved by the principles of this world, 4 but at the appointed time, God sent his son down to be born from a woman and to live under Mosheh’s law 5 [ref]so that he could buy back those enslaved under the law and they could now be adopted as children with their inheritance.

6 So because you are now children, God sent his son’s spirit down into our hearts as we call out, ‘Father, father.’ 7 Now you are no longer slaves but children with full rights, and as children, heirs of God’s promise.

8 When you didn’t know God, you served others who are not really gods at all. 9 But now that you do know God, or rather that God now knows you, why would you turn back again to useless and inferior beliefs and to serve them all over again? 10 You all observe special holidays and certain months and seasons and years. 11 I worry that maybe I’ve wasted my time helping you all.

12 I implore you all to become like me, brothers and sisters, because I’m also just like you. You haven’t wronged me in any way 13 but you know that it was a result of my fleshly weakness that I originally preached the good message to you.[fn] 14 Yet you didn’t mock or despise me for this trial of my flesh, but rather all of you received me as God’s messenger like you might have received the messiah Yeshua himself. 15 So where are your generous attitudes now? I know that back then, you would have almost dug your own eyes out to give them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy just because I told you all the truth?

17 Those others have worked hard to try to win you over but not for good reasons—they want to cut you off so that you’ll be enthusiastic about them. 18 It’s good to be enthusiastic about things that are always good, and not only at the times when I’m with you all. 19 My dear ones who I’m again labouring with in childbirth until the messiah becomes part of you, 20 I wanted to be there with you all now and to speak quite differently than this because I’m puzzled about you.

21 Are you all who are under the law, telling me that you’re not even hearing what the law is? 22 It’s written in the scriptures[ref] that Abraham had two sons: one son of the slave girl Hagar, and one from the free woman. 23 The son of the slave girl was born from human actions, but in contrast, the son of the free woman was a result of God’s promise. 24 So if we use this as an illustration, there are two agreements: one from Mt. Sinai which relates to Hagar and give birth to enslaved people. 25 Hagar’s Mt. Sinai is in Arabia and corresponds to the present earthly Yerushalem in slavery along with her children. 26 However the heavenly Yerushalem which is our mother is free 27 because it’s been written in the scriptures:[ref]

‘Be glad barren woman,

you who have never borne a child.

Be bold and shout,

you who have never been in labour,

because the lonely woman now has many children,

even more than the woman with a husband.’

28 And all of you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise like Isaac, 29 but back then the one born from human actions persecuted[ref] the one born from the spirit, and so too it continues now. 30 But what do the scriptures say? ‘Send away the slave girl and her son because the son of the slave girl won’t be getting the inheritance alongside the son of the free woman.’[ref] 31 So, brothers and sisters, we’re not descendants of the slave girl, but of the free woman.

5 The messiah has freed us so we can have freedom, so stand firm and don’t get entangled again in the burden of slavery.

The Nature of Christian Freedom

2 What’s more, I Paul would add that even if you all got circumcised, then the messiah wouldn’t be of any benefit. 3 I’ll say it again clearly, every man who’s circumcised has put themselves in debt to obeying all of the law. 4 You were released from the messiah when you moved to trusting in the law in order to be right with God—you fell away from grace at that point. 5 Because we who are in the spirit are eagerly waiting for the righteousness that we are expecting to receive by faith. 6 Because in the messiah Yeshua, it’s not circumcision that achieves anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith worked out through love.

7 You were all running the race so well—who held you back from believing the truth? 8 It wasn’t the one who called you all. 9 [ref]A little bit of yeast can make a whole loaf of bread rise. 10 I am trusting in Yahweh that you won’t be thinking anything different from the truth. The one who will bear the judgement is the one who has been confusing you, anyone who that was.

11 But, brothers and sisters, if I was still preaching the Jewish rules, why would I still be being persecuted? If I was still preaching that, then mentioning about dying on a post wouldn’t even be offensive. 12 I wish that the ones upsetting you all by suggesting cutting off bits, would cut it all off.

Guidance by the Spirit

13 Brothers and sisters, you were called into freedom. That doesn’t mean that you should use the freedom to do whatever your minds desire, but rather to be serving each other in love. 14 [ref]Because the entire law can be fulfilled by obeying one rule: Love your neighbour like yourself. 15 But if you’re all snapping at and bullying each other, watch out or else you’ll destroy each other’s faith.

16 I’ll tell you: allow yourselves to be led by the spirit and then your earthly desires won’t triumph. 17 [ref]Because our earthly desires oppose the spirit, and the spirit opposes our earthly desires—they oppose each other so that’s why you end up doing things that you didn’t really want to do. 18 But if you are being led by the spirit then you’re not trying to earn your way to God by obeying all of Mosheh’s rules.

19 The actions that come from our earthly desires include: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousies, rages, selfish ambitions, arguing, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and other similar things which I’ve mentioned previously. And as I also said previously, the people that do these things won’t be inheriting God’s kingdom.

The Fruit of the Spirit

22 But the end result of having God’s spirit is to show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, and self-control—there’s no law of Mosheh against any of these! 24 And for the followers of the messiah Yeshua, earthly desires need to be executed on a post along with their passions and lusts. 25 If we’re being led by God’s spirit in our living, then we should also be aligning our values by the spirit. 26 We have to take care not to become conceited, not to provoke each other, and not to envy each other.

6 Brothers and sisters, if a person has been caught sinning, all of you spiritual people need to guide the person with a spirit of gentleness, at the same time looking at your own behaviour in case you yourselves are also tempted. 2 Help those who are going through difficulties or pain, and in doing so you’ll fulfil the law of the messiah, 3 because anyone who supposes themselves to be someone special but isn’t, is only deceiving themself. 4 Evaluate your own actions, but keep your boasts to yourself and don’t tell others, 5 because each person must face up to their own issues.

6 Those who are being taught should share all their blessings with those who are instructing.

7 Don’t be fooled—you can’t get away with mocking God, because what you sow determines what you’ll harvest. 8 Anyone who sows seed to feed their earthly desires will harvest earthly corruption, but who sows spiritual seeds, will harvest eternal life from the spirit. 9 Don’t be discouraged from doing good things because we’ll have a good harvest in due course if we don’t give up. 10 So then as time allows it, we should be working towards good for everybody and especially for fellow believers.

11 Look how big these letters are when it’s my own handwriting. 12 There’s so many people that want to look good in earthly terms and they’re the ones trying to persuade you that you have to fulfil all of Mosheh’s rules—they don’t want to be persecuted concerning the messiah dying on a post. 13 Even those who are circumcised don’t obey all the rules, but they’d still like for your men to be circumcised so that they can claim them as followers. 14 As for me, may I never boast except about our master Yeshua the messiah whose life was cut off on the post. Through him, it’s like the entire world has been cut off from me, and I have been cut off from the world. 15 Because obeying Mosheh’s law is nothing, and not needing to obey it is nothing, but being a new creation is everything. 16 and as many people as follow that principle, may peace and mercy be on them and on God’s Yisrael (Israel).

17 As for the rest of their troubles, don’t bother me with them because I carry the marks on my body of someone who follows Yeshua.

18 May the grace from our master Yeshua the messiah be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Let it be so.