6 It amazes me that you so quickly deserted Him who called you by the grace of Christ to embrace another gospel. 7 The gospel that has been offered to you is not really new, but there are some who are distorting the gospel of Christ. 8 Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach a gospel different from the one we delivered to you, let this one be accursed! 9 I said it before and I will say it again, anyone who preaches a gospel that disagrees with the gospel you already received, is to be accursed. 10 Shall I seek the favor of men, or of God? Am I trying to please men? If I were doing that I should not be a servant of Christ. 11 Brethren, I want you to know that the gospel I have preached is not according to man. 12 I did not receive it from man, but through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism and how persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond my contemporaries because of my zeal for the traditions of my fathers.

COMMENT: It seems like whatever Paul did he did with all his might.

15 But when God, who had set me apart before I was born, called me by His grace, 16 revealed His Son to me that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not stop to consult with any man. 17 I did not even go to the apostles in Jerusalem, but I went away to Arabia and then returned to Damascus. 18 Three years after that I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter. I stayed with him fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I saw was the LORD's brother, James.

20 I assure you before God that this is what happened. 21 Then I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was unknown in the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 They had heard that the one who had once persecuted them was now preaching the same faith he had tried to destroy. 24 They glorified God because of the change in me.

Galatians 2 - RWB Paraphrase (21 V)
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1 Fourteen years later I went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus. 2 It was revealed to me that I should go there. I explained to them the gospel I had been preaching among the Gentiles. I met with them in private, fearing they might not like what I had been doing. 3 But not even Titus who was Greek was compelled to be circumcised. 4 There were some who had discovered our liberty in Jesus Christ who tried to bring us back into bondage. 5 But we did not yield to them for even a minute, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. 6 Though some of them were very sure of their position, they did not convince me. 7 I understood that I had been entrusted with taking the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted to take it to the circumcised. 8 The same One who worked with Peter in his apostleship to the Jews has also work through me for the Gentiles. 9 James, Peter and John, who seemed to be the pillars, perceived the grace given to me, and gave Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, and encouraged us to continue working for the Gentiles. 10 They only asked that we remember the poor, and I was eager to do. 11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because of his conduct. 12 At first he would eat with the Gentiles. But when certain men representing James came, he withdrew from eating with them because he was afraid of the circumcised from Jerusalem. 13 The rest of the Jews joined in this hypocrisy and even Barnabas joined them in doing this. 14 When I saw they were not living according to the truth of the gospel, I confronted Peter in the presence of everyone, saying, "If you a Jew, live like a Gentile, how is it that you want them to live like the Jews?" 15 "We who are Jews by nature and not committing the sins of the Gentiles," 16 "know that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ, since by the works of the Law no man will be justified." 17 "But if we, while seeking to be justified in Christ, are found to be sinners, is Christ then condoning sin? God forbid that we ever think like this." 18 "For if I go back to trusting in the Law instead of Christ, I am proved to be a transgressor." 19 "For through the Law I died to it, so that I might live to God." 20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ living in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." 21 "I must not diminish the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then what purpose was there for Christ to died?"

Galatians 3 - RWB Paraphrase (29 V)
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1 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you so that you do not obey the truth? Jesus Christ being crucified was clearly explained to you. 2 Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law or by faith? 3 Would you be so foolish as to think that when you began by the Spirit you would then be perfected by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain? 5 Does God, who provides you with the Spirit, work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.

COMMENT:

Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD and He counted it to him for righteousness,

7 So we know that Abraham's sons are those with faith. 8 God said that He would justify the Gentiles by faith when He told Abraham that all the nations would be blessed in him.

COMMENT:

Genesis 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you and if anyone curses you I will curse him. Through you all the people of the world will be blessed."

9 Abraham was a believer and those who are of faith are blessed with him. 10 For those who depend on the works of the Law are under a curse, just as it is written, cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law.

COMMENT:

Deuteronomy 27:26 "Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them. And all the people shall say, Amen."

11 It is evident that no one is justified before God by the Law, for scripture says, the righteous man shall live by faith.

COMMENT:

Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold, he whose soul is not upright shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith."

12 The Law is not of faith, for it says, he who practices them shall live by them.

COMMENT:

Leviticus 18:5 "A man may live if he keeps My statutes and judgments."

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law when He became a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,

COMMENT:

Deuteronomy 21:23 "His corpse shall not hang all night. He that is hanged is accursed of God. You shall surely bury him the same day so that the land that the LORD your God has given to you is not defiled."

14 in order that in Jesus Christ the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles who can receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I am now speaking in human terms. When men make a covenant and ratified it, it cannot be changed or set aside. 16 Now the promises God spoke to Abraham were concerning his seed, not his seeds. When God said, your seed, he was referring to Christ. 17 The Law came four hundred and thirty years after the promise concerning Abraham's seed. And this law did not invalidate the covenant God previously ratified. 18 For if the inheritance was based on the Law, then it would no longer be based on the promise God granted to Abraham. 19 So why was the Law necessary? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed that was promised should come. The angels were witness to this arrangement in the hand of the mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not working for just one party, but God is one. 21 Do we find the Law working against the promise made by God? God forbid! But if a law could have been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness could have been based on that law. 22 But scripture shows that everyone is a sinner, and those who believes in Jesus Christ may claim this promise by faith. 23 Before faith came we were kept under the law, waiting for the faith in Jesus which should afterwards be revealed. 24 The Law has been our teacher for the purpose of bringing us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith in Him.

COMMENT: The law shows us of our need for a Savior in whom we must place our faith.

25 Now that faith has come we are no longer under the law, which has been our teacher. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

COMMENT: Therefore, we are also sons of Abraham.

Galatians 3:7 So we know that Abraham's sons are those with faith.

27 For when you were baptized into Christ you were clothed with Him. 28 You are not to be designated as Jew or Greek. Neither is there to be slave or free man, male or female. For you are all one in Christ. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4 - RWB Paraphrase (31 V)
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1 It is worth noting that while the heir is a child he has no more rights than the servant, even though he owns everything. 2 For the time being he is under the management of others until the date set by his father. 3 It is the same with us. While we were children, we were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those under the Law, that they might be adopted as His sons. 6 And now that you are sons, God has placed the Spirit of His Son in your hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son and an heir through Christ. 8 During the time before you knew God you were slaves to those which were not really gods. 9 But now since you have come to know God, and are known by Him, why do you turn back to weak and worthless elemental things to once more be slaves? 10 You observe days, months, seasons and years. 11 I fear for you and I wonder if I have labored over you in vain. 12 Brethren, I beg you to become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong, 13 but you know that I first preached the gospel to you while I was ill. 14 My bodily condition was difficult for you but you did not despise me. Instead you received me as you would Christ Himself. 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had then? It seemed as though you would have even sacrificed your eyes for me. 16 So when I point out the truth to you, does that make me your enemy? 17 There are some who do not tell you the truth, thinking this will endear them to you. 18 You need to choose rightly, even when I am not there with you. 19 My children, I am laboring with you until Christ is once more formed in you. 20 I wish I could be there with you to lead you gently, for I am perplexed about you. 21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don't you listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. 23 The son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh. The son born to the free woman was born according to the promise. 24 What happened is an allegory teaching of two covenants. The covenant given at Mount Sinai produced children who were slaves, born of Hagar. 25 Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to Jerusalem at present, whose children are enslaved. 26 But the Jerusalem which is above is free and she is our mother. 27 For it is written, rejoice barren woman, break forth and shout, you who are not in labor, for the desolate have more children than those with a husband.

COMMENT:

Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, O barren woman. Burst into song and shout for joy, you who were never in labor, because the LORD says, you will have more children than the one who has a husband."

28 And you, brethren, like children of Isaac, are children of promise. 29 Isaac, who was born according to the Spirit, was persecuted by the one born according to the flesh. It is the same today. 30 But the scripture says, cast out the bondwoman and her son, for her son shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.

COMMENT:

Genesis 21:10 So Sarah told Abraham, "You must drive this maid and her son out of the camp. He must not be an heir along with Isaac."

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free woman.

Galatians 5 - RWB Paraphrase (26 V)
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1 Hold on to the liberty that Christ has given to us. Do not be subject again to the yoke of bondage. 2 I, Paul, say to you, circumcision does not bring you closer to Christ. 3 Circumcision obligates one to the whole Law. 4 If you seek justification by the Law you sever yourself from Christ and fall from grace. 5 For by faith through the Spirit, we wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has value, but faith working through love.

COMMENT: Even claiming that you do not need to be circumcised can be missing the point that we are saved by trusting in Christ's sacrifice. And love is missing when we argue about this.

7 You were on the right track. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This idea did not come from God who calls you. 9 A little leaven works its way through the whole lump of dough.

COMMENT: Once you begin to go down this road it only gets worse.

10 I have confidence in you through the LORD, that you will adopt no new view on this. Whoever has brought this idea to you will bear God's judgment. 11 If I still preach circumcision, why am I being persecuted? The need for the cross would be done away with. 12 I wish that those troubling you would mutilate themselves. 13 For you were called to freedom, my brothers. Only do not use your freedom to satisfy the flesh, but serve one another in love. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, as it says, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

COMMENT:

Leviticus 19:18 "You shall not take vengeance nor bear a grudge against the children of your people. You are to love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."

15 But if you bite and devour each other, take heed that you are not consumed. 16 My word to you is that you should walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. 17 For the flesh works against the Spirit hindering you from doing what is right. 18 And when you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

COMMENT: Nor will you need things like circumcision.

19 The deeds of the flesh make themselves evident in sins such as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, sensuality, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, heresies, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and all things like these, which I warned you of, for those who practice these things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against these there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not boast, or challenge each other. Neither should we envy one another.

Galatians 6 - RWB Paraphrase (18 V)
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1 Brethren, if a man is overcome by a spiritual fault, you who are spiritual are to restore him in meekness. Be careful lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if any man thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one must examine his own work and rejoice quietly in it without boasting. 5 Each one is to bear his own load. 6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. 7 Do not be deceived, for God knows what a man sows he will reap accordingly. 8 For the one that sows according to his own flesh will reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing right, for in due time we will rejoice in what we reap if we do not give up. 10 So as opportunity presents itself, let us do the right thing by all people, and especially to those in the church. 11 See with what large letters I write these things in my own hand?

12 Those who desire for you to be circumcised will try to compel you to do this. They are afraid of being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Yet they are not able to keep the Law. They want to be able to boast of causing you to trust in circumcision. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is this that has caused me to lose interest in the world. 15 Circumcision and uncircumcision have no value. What counts is that we must become new creatures. 16 Peace and mercy follow those who walk by this rule. 17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear the marks of the LORD Jesus in my body.

18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus be with your spirit. Amen.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6