LETTER TO THE GALATIANS. SELECTION I. 3 In saying this do I seek the favor of men, or of God? Am I en Paul claims consistency in his teachings concerning Christ, asserts that they were deavoring to please men? If I were, his own convictions spiritually communicated to him by Jesus himself, and not traditionally or indirectly received; rebukes dissimulation for the sake of securing popular favor; and declares that, not by ceremonial piety, but by the faith that Christ Jesus taught, men are to be accepted as righteous. PAUL, an apostle, (not from men, nor through man, but from God the Father, through Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead,) and the brethren who are with me, to the congregations of Galatia : Grace be to you and peace from God the Father; and from Jesus Christ our Master, who on account of our transgressions gave himself, that he might deliver us from the evils of the present world, according to the will of God our Father; to whom be the glory for ever and ever! Amen. I should not be the servant of Christ. For I assure you, brethren, that the gospel which was proclaimed by me was not according to the traditions of men: for I did not receive it from men, nor was I taught it by any man, but it was revealed to me by Jesus Christ. 4 Ye have heard of my conduct formerly in Judaism; how that beyond measure I persecuted the congregation of God; and was destroying it, and made progress in Judaism beyond many of the same age with me in my nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of the fathers. 5 But when he who set me apart from my very birth, and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal in me his son, that I might publish the glad tidings of him among the Gentiles, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 2 I marvel that ye are so soon turning from him that called you in the grace of Christ, to another gospel; but there is no other gospel; only there are certain persons who are troubling you, and seeking to change entirely the gospel of Christ. But 6 Then, after three years, I went even if I or one whose eloquence up to Jerusalem to become ac causes him to seem like an angel quainted with Cephas, and stayed from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to that which we proclaimed at first, let it be rejected. As I have said before, so I now say again, If any one proclaim to you a gospel contrary to that which ye at first received, let it be rejected. with him fifteen days; but no other of the apostles did I see, save James the brother of the Master. (As to this that I am writing to you, behold, before God, I do not deceive.) Afterward I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; and I was un known in person to the congrega- James, he used to eat with the Gentions of Judæa, which were called tiles; but when they came, he withafter Christ, they only having heard drew, and separated himself, in order that he who was once their persecu- to secure the favor of the Jews. And tor was now preaching the faith which others also dissembled with him; so he once was destroying; and they that even Barnabas was carried away glorified God in me. with their dissimulation. 7 Fourteen years after that I went II But when I saw that they were up again by revelation to Jerusalem, not walking uprightly according to that I might communicate to them the truth of the gospel, I said to that gospel which I was preaching Cephas in the presence of all, If thou, among the Gentiles; but privately a Jew, hast ceased to observe the to those who were of reputation I customs of the Jews, and livest like communicated it, lest by any means a Gentile, how is it that thou comI should run, or had run, in vain. pellest the Gentiles to keep the customs of the Jews? 8 But false brethren were stealthily brought in, who crept in to spy out 12 We, although Jews in descent, our liberty, which we have in Christ and not of the disobedient Gentiles, Jesus, that they might bring us back yet understand that a man is not acinto bondage; to whom not even for cepted as righteous by the cerean hour did I yield the subjection monial observances of the law, but which they required. by the faith which was in Christ 9 However, those who were re- Jesus. We also have believed in puted to be somewhat-whatever Christ Jesus, that we might be acthey were, it matters not to me, cepted as righteous by the faith God accepteth no man's person, which was in him, and not by the -those in reputation communicated nothing new. On the contrary, when they saw that I was intrusted with the gospel to the Gentiles, as Peter was 13 But if, while seeking to be acwith that to the Jews, and when they cepted as righteous in Christ, we disknew the grace that was given to me, cover for the first time that we ourJames, and Cephas, and John, who selves are transgressors, is Christ on were reputed to be pillars, gave to that account the cause of our transme and Barnabas the right hand of gressions? By no means! But if I fellowship, that we should go to the build up again the superstitions which Gentiles, and they to the Jews; only I pulled down, I make myself a transthey wished us to remember the gressor; for I through the law died poor; which very thing I also was to the ordinances of the law, that I earnest to do. might live to God. ceremonial observances of the law; for by ceremonial observances shall no flesh be accepted as righteous. 10 But when Cephas came to An- 14 I have been crucified with tioch, I withstood him to the face Christ, and no longer do I live, but and rebuked him as he deserved; for Christ liveth in me; and the life before certain persons came from which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 4 But before this faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, 15 I do not reject the grace of and were in ignorance of the faith God; for if righteousness comes which was to be revealed; so that through the ceremonial observances of the law was as a schoolmaster, to the law, then did Christ die for lead us to Christ; but now faith havnought. ing come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. SELECTION II. 5 Now are we all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus; no longer is there either Jew or Greek, Those reproved who substitute the letter for the spirit, or ceremonial observances for that faith which produces purity in bond or free, male or female; for heart and life. Those who have received we are all one in Christ Jesus. the Spirit are no longer slaves or servants of God, but sons; and in this freedom and holy relationship should stand. O FOOLISH Galatians, who be witched you? before whose eyes Jesus Christ, the crucified one, was plainly set forth! This only I desire to learn from you: Was it from the ceremoniai observances of the law that ye received the Spirit, or by the gospel of faith? 2 Are ye so foolish? Having begun with the spirit, do ye now end with the letter? Have ye suffered so much in vain ? for indeed it seems to be in vain. Did he, then, who communicated to you of the Spirit, and wrought wonders among you, do it by the ceremonies of the law, or by the preaching of faith? 3 Are, then, the observances of the law in opposition to the promises of God? By no means! For if a law had been given which was able to give life, righteousness would indeed have been by the observances of that law; but the scriptures include all as under transgression, in order that the blessing promised through faith in Jesus Christ may be given to all those who believe. 6 Moreover, I say, that an heir, so long as he is a child, differeth in no respect from a bond-servant, though he may be lord of all; but he is under guardians and stewards, until the time appointed by the father. 7 So also we, when we were children, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world; but when the fulness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman under the law, to redeem those who also were under the law, that we might know that we also are adopted as sons. 8 And to convince us that we are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of sonship into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father! So then we are no longer bond-servants, but sons; and if sons, then heirs through God. 9 And at that time, when ye knew not God as your Father, ye were in bondage to those ordinances which in their nature are ungodly; but now, after having known God as your Father, or rather having been claimed by him as sons, how is it that ye are looking back to the weak and beggarly rudiments, desiring to return to slavery? 10 Ye observe days, and months, as we are not children of a bondand seasons, and years! I am afraid woman, but of the freewoman, let of you, lest I may have bestowed us stand firm in the freedom with upon you labor in vain. which Christ made us free, and not again be entangled in the yoke of bondage. II My children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, I could wish indeed to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in perplexity about you. 16 Behold, I Paul say to you, that if ye submit to ordinances Christ will profit you nothing; ye are entirely separated from Christ if ye seek to obtain righteousness through the observances of the law; yea, ye have fallen away from grace. 12 Tell me, ye that desire to be enslaved again to the law, do ye not understand the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; 17 For we through the Spirit by the one by the bondwoman, the other faith steadfastly wait for the hope of by the freewoman. But the one by the righteousness; knowing that in Christ bondwoman was born after the flesh; Jesus neither conformity nor nonwhile the one by the freewoman conformity to ceremonial observwas through the promise. Which ances availeth any thing; but faith things are written allegorically, for working by love. these women are two covenants; the one from mount Sinai, who beareth children into bondage; and she corresponds to the Jerusalem now existing, for she is in bondage with her children. 13 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother; as it is written: Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for many are the children of the freewoman, rather than of her who is in bondage. SELECTION III. Those who do not walk according to the leadings of the Spirit may be known by the carnality or moral impurities of their lives. Not formal piety, or professions, or religious ceremonies are acceptable to God, but pure hearts, as manifest in thoughts and lives that are pure. E, brethren, are called to liberty; only use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by your love serve one another. sumed. 2 For the whole law is fulfilled in 14 Ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are one commandment, even in this: children of a promise; but as it was Thou shalt love thy neighbor as then, he that was born after the flesh thyself. But if ye bite and devour persecuted him that was born one another, beware lest ye be conthrough the Spirit, so it is now. But what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 15 So then, brethren, inasmuch against the flesh; and these oppose 3 I say then, Walk by the Spirit, and ye will not fulfil the desires of the flesh. For the flesh hath desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit one another, so that ye find it difficult to do the things that ye would. But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are no longer enslaved to the law. 10 Let him that is taught in the word join with the teacher in all good undertakings. II Be not deceived; God is not 4 Now the works of the flesh mocked; whatever a man soweth, are evident; such as fornication, that shall he also reap; he that uncleanness, wantonness, idolatry, soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh sorcery, hatreds, strife, rivalry, out- reap corruption; but he that soweth bursts of wrath, cabals, divisions, to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap factions, envyings, drunkenness, life everlasting. revellings, and things like these; of which I tell you beforehand, as I also told you in time past, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 12 Let us not be weary in well. doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 13 As we have opportunity, let us do good to everybody, especially to 5 But the fruit of the Spirit is those who belong to our own houselove, joy, peace, long-suffering, kind-hold of faith. ness, goodness, faithfulness, meek- 14 Those who desire to make a ness, temperance; against such things as these there is no law. 6 And they who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. So then if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit and let us not be vainglorious, provoking one another, and envying one another. 7 But, brethren, if any man among you should be detected in a fault, do ye who are more spiritual seek to restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering that thou thyself also might have been tempted. 8 Bear ye one another's burdens, and thus fulfil the law of Christ; for if a man thinketh himself to be some great one, then he is nobody, and deceiveth himself. fair show in the flesh, are constraining you to conform to ordinances; but they do it that they may escape from persecution for the cross of Christ. 15 For not even do they who themselves conform to ordinances keep the law; only they desire to have you conform in order to gain praise from men. 16 But God forbid that I should seek praise, save in the cross of Jesus Christ our Master; through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is conformity to ordinances any thing, nor is nonconformity any thing, but a new creature. 17 Now to as many as walk by this rule, and to the Israel of God, upon them be peace and mercy. 18 Henceforth let no one trouble me; for I bear branded upon my body the marks of Jesus. 9 Let each one put to the test his own work, and then will he have his ground for rejoicing in himself alone, and not in his superiority over 19 Brethren, the grace of Jesus another; for every one must be Christ our Master be with your judged according to his own works. spirit. Amen. |