MKJV - Galatians

Chapter 1

1:1  Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead),

1:2  and all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia.

1:3  Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

1:4  who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father,

1:5  to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

1:6  I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel,

1:7  which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ.

1:8  But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed.

1:9  As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.

1:10  For now do I persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1:11  And, brothers, I make known to you the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

1:12  For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it except by a revelation of Jesus Christ.

1:13  For you heard my manner of life when I was in Judaism, that I persecuted the church of God with surpassing zeal, and ravaged it.

1:14  And I progressed in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my race, being much more a zealot of the traditions of my fathers.

1:15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and having called me by His grace,

1:16  to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the nations, immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood;

1:17  Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again to Damascus.

1:18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

1:19  But I saw no other of the apostles, except James the Lord's brother.

1:20  And what I write to you, behold, before God, I do not lie.

1:21  Then I went into the regions of Syria and of Cilicia,

1:22  and was unknown by face to the churches of Judea in Christ.

1:23  But only they were hearing that he who then persecuted us, now preaches the faith which he once ravaged.

1:24  And they glorified God in me.

Chapter 2

2:1  Then through fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

2:2  And I went up by revelation. And I put before them the gospel which I proclaim in the nations, but privately to those seeming to be pillars, lest I run, or I ran, into vanity.

2:3  (But not even Titus, the one with me, a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.)

2:4  But because of those false brothers stealing in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus; they desiring to enslave us;

2:5  to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

2:6  But from those who seemed to be something (what kind they were then does not matter to me; God does not accept the face of man), for those seeming important conferred nothing to me.

2:7  But on the contrary, seeing that I have been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, as Peter to the circumcision;

2:8  for He working in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision also worked in me to the nations.

2:9  and knowing the grace given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave right hands of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we go to the nations, but they to the circumcision.

2:10  Only they asked that we remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do.

2:11  But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was to be blamed.

2:12  For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision.

2:13  And the rest of the Jews also dissembled with him, so as even Barnabas was led away with their dissembling.

2:14  But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, If you, being a Jew, live as a Gentile, and not as the Jews, why do you compel the nations to judaize?

2:15  We Jews by nature, and not sinners of the nations,

2:16  knowing that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ; even we believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law. For all flesh will not be justified by works of law.

2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we also were found to be sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Let it not be said!

2:18  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I confirm myself as a transgressor.

2:19  For through the Law I died to the law, that I might live to God.

2:20  I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.

2:21  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness is through law, then Christ died without cause.

Chapter 3

3:1  O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you not to obey the truth, to whom before your eyes Jesus Christ was written among you crucified?

3:2  This only I would learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

3:3  Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, do you now perfect yourself in the flesh?

3:4  Did you suffer so many things in vain, if indeed it is even in vain?

3:5  Then He supplying the Spirit to you and working powerful works in you, is it by works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

3:6  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

3:7  Therefore know that those of faith, these are the sons of Abraham.

3:8  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations through faith, preached the gospel before to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all nations be blessed."

3:9  So then those of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

3:10  For as many as are out of works of the Law, these are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them."

3:11  But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is clear, for, "The just shall live by faith."

3:12  But the Law is not of faith; but, "The man who does these things shall live in them."

3:13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone having been hanged on a tree");

3:14  so that the blessing of Abraham might be to the nations in Jesus Christ, and that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

3:15  Brothers, I speak according to man, a covenant having been ratified, even among mankind, no one sets aside or adds to it.

3:16  And to Abraham and to his Seed the promises were spoken. It does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, "And to your Seed," which is Christ.

3:17  And I say this, A covenant having been ratified to Christ by God in Christ, the Law (coming into being four hundred and thirty years after) does not annul the promise, so as to abolish it.

3:18  For if the inheritance is of Law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by way of promise.

3:19  Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to those to whom it had been promised, being ordained through angels in the Mediator's hand.

3:20  But the Mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

3:21  Is the Law then against the promises of God? Let it not be said! For if a law had been given which could have given life, indeed righteousness would have been out of Law.

3:22  But the Scripture shut up all under sin, so that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under Law, having been shut up to the faith about to be revealed.

3:24  So that the Law has become a trainer of us until Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

3:25  But faith coming, we are no longer under a trainer.

3:26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

3:27  For as many as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ.

3:28  There cannot be Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is no male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

3:29  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Chapter 4

4:1  But I say, Over so long a time the heir is an infant, he does not differ from a slave, though being lord of all;

4:2  but he is under guardians and housemasters until the term appointed before by the father.

4:3  Even so we, when we were infants, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

4:4  But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law,

4:5  that He might redeem those under Law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons.

4:6  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

4:7  So that you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

4:8  But then, indeed, not knowing God, you served as slaves to those not by nature being gods.

4:9  But now, knowing God, but rather are known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you desire to slave anew?

4:10  You observe days and months and times and years.

4:11  I fear for you, lest somehow I have labored among you in vain.

4:12  Brothers, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as you. You have not injured me at all.

4:13  But you know that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you before,

4:14  and you did not despise my temptation in my flesh, nor did you spurn it. But you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

4:15  What then was your blessedness? For I bear you record that, if you were able, plucking out your eyes, you would have given them to me.

4:16  So then did I become your enemy speaking to you the truth?

4:17  They are zealous for you, but not well. But they only desire to shut you out, that you be zealous to them.

4:18  But it is good to be zealous always in a good thing, and not only in my being present with you.

4:19  My children, for whom I again travail until Christ should be formed in you,

4:20  even now I desired to be present with you, and to change my voice; for I am in doubt as to you.

4:21  Tell me, those desiring to be under Law, do you not hear the Law?

4:22  For it is written: Abraham had two sons, the one out of the slave-woman, and one out of the free woman.

4:23  But, indeed, he out of the slave-woman has been born according to flesh, and he out of the free woman through the promise;

4:24  which things are being allegorized; for these are the two covenants, one indeed from Mount Sinai bringing forth to slavery, which is Hagar.

4:25  For Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in slavery with her children.

4:26  But the Jerusalem from above is free, who is the mother of us all.

4:27  For it is written, "Rejoice, barren one not bearing; break forth and shout, you not travailing; for more are the children of the desolate than she having the husband."

4:28  But brothers, we, like Isaac, are children of promise.

4:29  But then even as he born according to flesh persecuted him born according to the Spirit, so also now.

4:30  But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave-woman and her son; for in no way shall the son of the slave-woman inherit with the son of the free woman."

4:31  Then, brothers, we are not children of a slave-woman, but of the free woman.

Chapter 5

5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and do not again be held with the yoke of bondage.

5:2  Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

5:3  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do all the Law,

5:4  you who are justified by Law are deprived of all effect from Christ; you fell from grace.

5:5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness out of faith.

5:6  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any strength, but faith working through love.

5:7  You were running well. Who hindered you that you do not obey the truth?

5:8  This persuasion is not from Him who calls you.

5:9  A little leaven leavens all the lump.

5:10  I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will think nothing else, but that he troubling you shall bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

5:11  And I, brothers, if I yet proclaim circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the offense of the Cross has ceased.

5:12  I wish that those causing you to doubt will cut themselves off.

5:13  For, brothers, you were called to liberty. Only do not use the liberty for an opening to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

5:14  For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

5:15  But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another.

5:16  I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

5:17  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another; lest whatever you may will, these things you do.

5:18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

5:19  Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness,

5:20  idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

5:21  envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,

5:23  meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

5:24  But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

5:26  Let us not become glory-seeking, provoking one another, envying one another.

Chapter 6

6:1  Brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you the spiritual ones restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted.

6:2  Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

6:3  For if anyone thinks himself to be something, being nothing, he deceives himself.

6:4  But let each one prove his own work, and then he alone will have a boast in himself, and not in another.

6:5  For each one will bear his own load.

6:6  But let him who is taught in the Word share with the one teaching in all good things.

6:7  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also will reap.

6:8  For he sowing to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But he sowing to the Spirit will reap life everlasting from the Spirit.

6:9  But we should not lose heart in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not faint.

6:10  So then as we have time, let us work good toward all, especially toward those of the household of faith.

6:11  See in what large letters I write to you with my hand.

6:12  As many as desire to look well in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

6:13  For they themselves, having been circumcised, do not even keep the Law, but they desire you to be circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.

6:14  But may it never be for me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.

6:15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any strength, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God.

6:17  For the rest, let no one give troubles to me, for I bear in my body the brands of the Lord Jesus.

6:18  Brothers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.