Galatians 2–3

Paul’s Ministry Recognized by the Jerusalem Apostles

2Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking along Titus also. ²Now I went up there because of a revelation and laid out to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but in private to the influential people, lest somehow I was running, or had run, in vain. ³But not even Titus who was with me, although^* he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. ⁴Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us, ⁵to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you. ⁶But from those who were influential^a (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, God does not show partiality^b)—for those who were influential added nothing to me. ⁷But these, when they^* saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcision, just as Peter to the circumcision ⁸(for the one who was at work through Peter for his apostleship to the circumcision was at work also through me for the Gentiles), ⁹and when James and Cephas and John—those thought to be pillars—acknowledged the grace given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, in order that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision. ¹⁰They asked only that we should remember the poor, the very thing I was also eager to do.

Paul Confronts Peter at Antioch

¹¹But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned. ¹²For before certain people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he^* was afraid of those who were of the circumcision, ¹³and the rest of the Jews also joined in this hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with them in their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that they were not being straightforward with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all, “If you, although you^* are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Justified by Faith in Christ

¹⁵We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles, ¹⁶but knowing that a person is not justified by the works of the law, if not by faith in Jesus Christ,^c and we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we may be justified by faith in Christ^d and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified^e. ¹⁷But if while seeking to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also have been found to be sinners, then is Christ an agent of sin? May it never be! ¹⁸For if I build up again these things which I destroyed, I show myself to be a transgressor. ¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, ²⁰and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not declare invalid the grace of God, for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.

Justified by the Law, or Justified by Faith?

3O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as having been crucified? ²I want only to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now trying to be made complete by the flesh? ⁴Have you suffered so many things for nothing—if indeed also it was for nothing? ⁵Therefore does the one who gives you the Spirit and who works miracles among you do so by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

⁶Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, ⁷then understand that the ones who have faith^a, these are sons of Abraham. ⁸And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news in advance to Abraham: “In you all the nations^b will be blessed.”^{c 9}So then, the ones who have faith are blessed together with Abraham who believed. ¹⁰For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things that are written in the book of the law to do them.”^{d 11}Now it is clear that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law, because “the one who is righteous will live by faith.”^{e 12}But the law is not from faith, but “the one who does these things will live by them.”^f

¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by^* becoming a curse for us, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,”^{g 14}in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Promise to Abraham and His Descendant

¹⁵Brothers, I am speaking according to a human perspective. Nevertheless, when^* the covenant of a man has been ratified, no one declares it invalid or adds additional provisions to it. ¹⁶Now to Abraham and to his descendant the promises were spoken. It does not say, “and to descendants,” as concerning many, but as concerning one, “and to your descendant,”^h who is Christ. ¹⁷Now I am saying this: the law, that came after four hundred and thirty years, does not revoke a covenant previously ratified by God, in order to nullify the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave it to Abraham through the promise.

The Addition of the Law

¹⁹Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator. ²⁰Now the mediator is not for one, but God is one.

²¹Therefore is the law opposed to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, certainly righteousness would have been from the law. ²²But the scripture imprisoned all under sin, in order that the promise could be given by faithⁱ in Jesus Christ to those who believe.

²³But before faith came, we were detained under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ²⁴So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵But after^* faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. ²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,^{j 27}for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.