Galatians 2:11-4:12

New International Version

Paul Opposes Cephas

¹¹ When Cephas^(A) came to Antioch,^(B) I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹² For before certain men came from James,^(C) he used to eat with the Gentiles.^(D) But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.^{(E) 13} The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas^(F) was led astray.

¹⁴ When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,^(G) I said to Cephas^(H) in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.^(I) How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?^(J)

¹⁵ “We who are Jews by birth^(K) and not sinful Gentiles^{(L) 16} know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,^(M) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^(N) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.^(O)

¹⁷ “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,^(P) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!^{(Q) 18} If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

¹⁹ “For through the law I died to the law^(R) so that I might live for God.^{(S) 20} I have been crucified with Christ^(T) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.^(U) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,^(V) who loved me^(W) and gave himself for me.^{(X) 21} I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,^(Y) Christ died for nothing!”^[b]

Faith or Works of the Law

3 You foolish^(Z) Galatians!^(AA) Who has bewitched you?^(AB) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.^{(AC) 2} I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit^(AD) by the works of the law,^(AE) or by believing what you heard?^{(AF) 3} Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?^{[c] 4} Have you experienced^[d] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles^(AG) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?^{(AH) 6} So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[e](AI)

⁷ Understand, then, that those who have faith^(AJ) are children of Abraham.^{(AK) 8} Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”^{[f](AL) 9} So those who rely on faith^(AM) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.^(AN)

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law^(AO) are under a curse,^(AP) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”^{[g](AQ) 11} Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,^(AR) because “the righteous will live by faith.”^{[h](AS) 12} The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[i](AT) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law^(AU) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”^{[j](AV) 14} He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,^(AW) so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.^(AX)

The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters,^(AY) let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. ¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.^(AZ) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[k](BA) meaning one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(BB) later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise;^(BC) but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

¹⁹ Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions^(BD) until the Seed^(BE) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(BF) and entrusted to a mediator.^{(BG) 20} A mediator,^(BH) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(BI) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^{(BJ) 22} But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(BK) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Children of God

²³ Before the coming of this faith,^[l] we were held in custody^(BL) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.^{(BM) 24} So the law was our guardian until Christ came^(BN) that we might be justified by faith.^{(BO) 25} Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.^(BP)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(BQ) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(BR) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(BS) 28} There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,^(BT) nor is there male and female,^(BU) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.^{(BV) 29} If you belong to Christ,^(BW) then you are Abraham’s seed,^(BX) and heirs^(BY) according to the promise.^(BZ)

4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. ² The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³ So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery^(CA) under the elemental spiritual forces^[m] of the world.^{(CB) 4} But when the set time had fully come,^(CC) God sent his Son,^(CD) born of a woman,^(CE) born under the law,^{(CF) 5} to redeem^(CG) those under the law, that we might receive adoption^(CH) to sonship.^{[n](CI) 6} Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son^(CJ) into our hearts,^(CK) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^[o] Father.”^{(CL) 7} So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.^(CM)

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you did not know God,^(CN) you were slaves^(CO) to those who by nature are not gods.^{(CP) 9} But now that you know God—or rather are known by God^(CQ)—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces^[p]? Do you wish to be enslaved^(CR) by them all over again?^{(CS) 10} You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!^{(CT) 11} I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.^(CU)

¹² I plead with you, brothers and sisters,^(CV) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.