Galatians 2–3

PAUL DEFENDS HIS GOSPEL AT JERUSALEM

2Then after fourteen years I went up again^ah to Jerusalem with Barnabas,^ai taking Titus^aj along also. ²I went up according to a revelation^ak and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as leaders. I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain. ³But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. ⁴This matter arose because some false brothers^al had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us. ⁵But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth^am of the gospel would be preserved for you.

⁶Now from those recognized as important (what they^B once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism^Can)—they added nothing to me. ⁷On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised,^ao just as Peter^ap was for the circumcised, ⁸since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. ⁹When James,^a Cephas,^Db and John^c—those recognized as pillars^d—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰They asked only that we would remember the poor,^e which I had made every effort to do.

FREEDOM FROM THE LAW

¹¹But when Cephas^D came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned.^{E 12}For he regularly ate with the Gentiles before certain men came from James. However, when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he feared those from the circumcision party. ¹³Then the rest of the Jews^f joined his hypocrisy,^g so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that they were deviating from the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas^D in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile^h and not like a Jew,ⁱ how can you compel Gentiles to live^j like Jews?”

¹⁵We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” ¹⁶and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law^k but by faith in Jesus Christ,^G even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ^H and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will^I be justified. ¹⁷But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ,^l is Christ then a promoter^Am of sin? Absolutely not!^{n 18}If I rebuild^o those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.^{p 19}For through the law I died to the law,^q so that I might live for God.^{r 20}I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^s The life I now live in the body,^B I live by faith in the Son of God,^t who loved^u me^v and gave himself^w for me.^{x 21}I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law,^y then Christ died^z for nothing.

JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH

3You foolish^aa Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you,^C before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed^D as crucified?^{ab 2}I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard? ³Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? ⁴Did you experience^Fac so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? ⁵So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles^ad among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard—⁶just like Abraham who believed God,^ae and it was credited to him for righteousness?^Gaf

⁷You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons.^{ag 8}Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham,^ah saying, All the nations^H will be blessed through you.^{Iai 9}Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham,^aj who had faith.^J

LAW AND PROMISE

¹⁰For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse,^ak because it is written,^al Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.^{Kam 11}Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live^an by faith.^{Lao 12}But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them.^{Map 13}Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,^aq because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.^{Nar 14}The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.^as

¹⁵Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will.^{O 16}Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed,^Pat who is Christ. ¹⁷My point is this: The law, which came 430 years later,^au does not invalidate a covenant previously established by God^Q and thus cancel the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise; but God has graciously given it to Abraham through the promise.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW

¹⁹Why, then, was the law given?^a It was added for the sake of transgressions^A until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels^b by means of a mediator.^{c 20}Now a mediator is not just for one person alone, but God is one.^{d 21}Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if the law had been granted with the ability to give life, then righteousness would certainly be on the basis of the law. ²²But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin’s power,^Be so that the promise might be given on the basis of faith^f in Jesus Christ to those who believe.^{g 23}Before this faith^h came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.^{i 24}The law, then, was our guardian until Christ,^j so that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵But since that faith^k has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.

SONS AND HEIRS

²⁷For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.^{l 28}There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free,^m male and female;ⁿ since you are all one^o in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs^p according to the promise.^q