The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)
CHAPTER 1
1-2. From Paul, an apostle, and from all of the brothers who
are with me.
a. I was not chosen by
men to be an apostle, neither was I sent from men.
b. No, it was through
Jesus Christ
1. and God the Father who raised Jesus from death.
2. To the congregations in the Galatian area:
3. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be kind to you
and give you peace.
4. Jesus sacrificed himself for our sins,
a. so that we might
escape from the evil in this world.
b. This is what God
our Father wanted.
5. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Only One Gospel
6. Not long ago, God called you through His gracious love
which came through Christ,
a. but now I am
surprised at you people!
b. You are already
turning away toward a different gospel.
c. (* Some Jews who believed
in Christ were teaching non-Jewish people
d. that they could not be
saved unless they were first circumcised – became Jewish).
e. See Acts 15:1-5.
7. There is actually no other true gospel.
a. However, some
people are disturbing you;
b. they want to
distort the gospel of Christ.
8. If we ourselves -- or even an angel from heaven--
a. tell you a
different gospel than the true gospel which we told you,
b. then we should be
condemned!
9. I said this before; I am saying it again:
a. If anyone tells
you another way to be saved, that is,
b. preaches a gospel
to you that is different from what you received,
c. let that person be
condemned
1. (* or, If anyone tells you another way to be saved,
2. that person should be condemned).
10. Do you think I'm now trying to win man over?
a. No!
b. God is the One whom
I am trying to please.
1. Am I trying to please man?
2. If I were, I would not be a servant of Christ.
How I Got the Gospel
11. Brothers and sisters,
a. I am letting you
know that the gospel which I preached to you
b. was not man-made.
12. I did not receive the gospel from men;
a. no man taught it to
me.
b. No, Jesus Christ
revealed the gospel to me.
13. You have heard about my past life in the Jewish faith.
a. I violently
persecuted God's called-out people.
b. I tried to destroy
them.
14. In the Jewish faith I was becoming a leader,
a. doing better than
most Jews my own age.
b. I tried harder
than anyone else
c. to follow the
traditions which came from our ancestors.
15. But God called me through His gracious love.
a. Even before I was
born,
b. He had special
plans for me.
16. God wanted me tell the Good News about Jesus to non-Jewish people,
a. So He revealed His
Son in me.
b. I didn't receive
advice or get help from any human being (* literally, flesh and blood).
17. I didn't go up right away to see the apostles in Jerusalem.
a. (These men were
apostles before I was).
b. No, I went away to
Arabia.
c. Afterward, I went
back to the city of Damascus.
18. Three years later,
a. I went up to
Jerusalem to meet Peter (* literally, Cephas),
b. and for 15 days
I stayed with him.
19. I saw no other apostles -- only James
a. (* not the apostle
James),
b. the brother of the
Lord Jesus.
20. God knows that the things which I am writing to you are true.
21. Later, I went to the areas of Syria and Cilicia
a. (* Where Paul’s
home was - Tarsus).
b. See Acts 21:39.
22. In Judea, the congregations in Christ did not know my face.
23. They had only heard this about me:
a. "This man used
to persecute us,
b. but now he is
preaching the same faith he once tried to destroy!"
24. They were praising God because of me.
CHAPTER 2
In Jerusalem
1. After 14 years,
a. I went with
Barnabas up to Jerusalem again,
b. and I took Titus
along with me.
2. I went up because God showed me that I should go.
a. I went to those
men who were the leaders.
b. When we were alone,
I explained to them about the gospel
1. which I preach to non-Jewish people,
2. so that my past work and the work I do now would not be
wasted.
3. Titus was with me.
a. Although he was not
Jewish (* literally, a Greek),
b. these leaders did
not force him to be circumcised
1. (* a physical mark, cutting off the foreskin,
2. which sealed the agreement that God made with Abraham - see
Gen. 17:9-14).
4. It was very important for us to talk,
a. because some false
brothers had secretly come into our group.
b. Like spies, they
came in to find out about the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus.
c. They wanted to make
us slaves.
5. But not for one moment
a. did we give in to
what those false brothers wanted!
b. We wanted the truth
of the gospel to continue with you.
6. Those men who seemed to be important
a. did not change the
gospel which I preach.
b. (It doesn't matter
to me whether they were "important" or not;
c. God treats all
people alike.)
7. Those leaders saw that God had entrusted me
a. with the work of
telling the Good News to non-Jewish people (* the uncircumcision),
b. just as God had
given Peter the work of telling the Good News to Jews
c. (* the
circumcision).
8. God gave him the power to work as an apostle for Jewish people
(* the circumcision).
a. God also gave me
this power--
b. for people who
are not Jews!
9. James, Peter, and John seemed to be the main leaders.
a. They knew that
God had given me grace.
b. So, they accepted
Barnabas and me.
1. They said, "We agree. You should go to non-Jewish people.
2. We will go to the Jews" (* the circumcision).
10. They asked us to do only one thing--
a. to remember to
help the Jewish poor people.
b. This was something
I really wanted to do anyway.
Peter Was Wrong
11. Peter (* literally, Cephas) came to Antioch in Syria.
a. Because he was
wrong,
b. I opposed him.
12. This is what happened:
a. When Peter first
came to Antioch, he always ate with non-Jewish people.
b. But then, some
Jewish men were sent from James
1. (* James was a leader in the Jerusalem congregation [Acts
21:18].
2. He did not approve of this false teaching – Acts 15:24).
c. When they came,
Peter stopped eating with those who were not Jewish
d. and separated
himself from them.
1. He was afraid of the Jews who believed
2. that all non-Jewish people must be circumcised
a. (* The Jews who taught this doctrine were called Judaizers,
b. i.e. the ones who wanted to be believers in Jesus).
13. Peter was two-faced (* literally, a hypocrite.
a. A hypocrite is a
person who acts as if he is good, but he is not).
b. The other Jewish
believers joined Peter.
c. They were
two-faced, too.
d. Even Barnabas was
influenced by the things which those Jewish believers did.
14. I saw what they did.
a. They were not
following the truth of the gospel.
b. So, I spoke to
Peter (* literally, Cephas)
c. in such a way that
all the other Jews could hear what I said:
1. "Since you are a Jew, but do not live as a Jew,
2. why do you now force non-Jewish people to live as Jews?
3. You live like non Jewish people do."
Right with God
15. We Jews were not born non-Jewish or sinners; we were born as
Jews.
16. We know that a person is not made right with God by following the
law.
a. Committing oneself
to Jesus Christ is what makes a person right with God.
b. So, we made a
commitment to Christ Jesus,
c. because we wanted
to be made right with God.
1. We are right with God because we made that commitment,
2. not because of following the law.
3. Nobody will ever be made right by following the law.
17. We Jews came to Christ to be made right with God.
a. So, it is clear
that we were sinners, too.
b. Does this mean
that Christ makes us sinners?
18. But I would truly be wrong to begin teaching again those things
which I gave up.
19. I stopped living for the law.
a. I died to the law,
b. so that I may now
live for God.
20. I (* my old life) was killed on the cross with Christ.
a. So, the life which
I now live is not really me - it is Christ living in me!
b. I still live in
my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God.
c. He is the one who
loved me; he sacrificed himself for me.
21. This gift is from God, and it is very important to me.
a. Because if the
law could have made us right with God,
b. then Christ died
for nothing!
CHAPTER 3
Christ Is the Source
1. You people in Galatia were told very clearly
a. about the death
of Jesus Christ on the cross.
b. However, you were
very foolish; you let someone trick you,
c. so that you should
not obeyed the truth.
2. Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Holy Spirit?
a. Did you receive the
Spirit by following the law?
b. No! You received
the Spirit because you heard the Good News and believed it.
3. You began your life in Christ with the Spirit.
a. Are you trying to
continue it by your own power?
b. You are so foolish!
4. Many things have happened to you.
a. Was it all a waste
of time?
b. I hope not!
5. Does God give you the Spirit because you follow the law?
a. Does God work
miracles among you because you follow the law?
b. It is because you
heard the Good News and believed it.
6. The Scriptures say the same thing about Abraham:
"Abraham believed God, and so God declared him a righteous man" (Genesis 15:6-7).
7. So, you should know that the true children of Abraham are
those who have faith.
8. The Scriptures told what would happen in the future.
a. These writings said
that God would make non-Jewish people right -through their faith.
b. The Good News was
told to Abraham long ago:
"Abraham, God will use you to bless all people on earth" (Genesis 12:3).
9. All people who believe are blessed in the same way that
Abraham was blessed for his faith.
l0. But people who depend on following the law to make them right
a. are under
condemnation,
b. because it is
written,
"A person must do everything which is written in the book of the law.
If he does not always obey those things, then that person is under
condemnation!"
(Deuteronomy 27:26)
11. So, it is clear that no person may be made right with God by the law. The Scriptures say,
"The person who is right with God by faith will live forever" (Habakkuk 2:4).
12. The law is not based on faith. Instead, the law says,
"A person who wants to find life by following these things (* the law
of Moses)
must
do the things the law says" (Leviticus 18:5).
13. The law put us under condemnation, but Christ took that
condemnation away.
a. He changed
places with us; he put himself under that condemnation.
b. It is written,
"When a person's body is hung on a tree
(* meaning, the cross of wood where Jesus was crucified),
it shows that the person has been condemned (Deuteronomy 21:23).
14. Christ did this, so that God's promised blessing to Abraham
could be given to all people.
a. This blessing comes
through Christ Jesus.
b. God wanted us to
receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through believing.
God's Promise to Abraham
15. Brothers, let me give you an example:
a. A man writes a
will.
b. After the will is
made legal, no one else may change that will or add to it,
c. and no one can
ignore it.
16. God made promises to Abraham and his descendant.
a. God did not say
"and to your descendants."
b. That would mean
many people.
1. But God said, "and to your descendant."
2. This means only one person--Christ.
17. That is what I mean:
a. God in Christ made
out a will to Abraham,
b. promising to do the
things which He told Abraham.
1. The law came 430 years after the will was made,
2. but it did not change God's promise to Abraham.
18. Can following the law give us the things which God promised?
a. If we could receive
those things by following the law,
b. then it is not
God's promise which brings us those things.
c. But God freely gave
His blessings to Abraham through the promise He made.
Why the Law of Moses?
19. Therefore, what was the purpose of the law?
a. The law was given
to show people the difference between right and wrong.
b. It continued until
the special descendant (*Jesus) of Abraham came.
1. God's promise was about this descendant.
2. The law was given through angels.
3. The angels used Moses as a go-between to give the law to men.
20. (A go-between is not needed when there is only one side; God is
only one side).
21. Therefore, does this mean that the law is against God's
promises?
a. If there were a
law which could give men life,
b. then we could truly
be made right by following the law.
22. However, this cannot be true,
a. because the
Scriptures showed that all people are bound by sin,
b. so that the promise
would be given to people through faith--
c. to those who
believe in Jesus Christ!
23. Before this faith came,
a. we were all held in
check by the law.
b. We had no freedom
until God revealed to us the way of faith which was coming.
24. So, the law was our trainer (* literally, schoolmaster.
a. This was a person who
took care of a child on his way to and from school.
b. A schoolmaster did
not teach; he only delivered the child to the teacher safely,
c. like a school us
driver today).
1. until Christ came,
2. so that we could be made right with God through faith.
25. The way of faith has come. Therefore, we do not live under law
anymore.
26-27. You were all immersed into Christ.
a. So, you were all
clothed with Christ.
b. You are all
children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
28. Now, in Christ, there is no difference between Jew and non-Jew
(* literally, Greek),
a. between slave and
free, between male and female.
b. You are all the
same in Christ Jesus.
29. You belong to Christ.
a. Therefore, you are
Abraham's descendants.
b. You receive all of
God's blessings
c. because of the
promise which God made to Abraham.
CHAPTER 4
Our Inheritance
1. I am telling you this:
a. While the heir is
still a child, he is no different from a slave.
b. It doesn't matter
that the heir owns everything,
2. Because while he is a child,
a. he must obey
the people chosen to take care of him
b. until the
child reaches the age which his father set.
3. It is the same for us.
a. We were once like
little children,
b. slaves to the
standards of this world,
4. But when the right time came, God sent His Son,
a. God's Son was born
from a woman;
b. he lived under
the law.
5. God did this,
a. so that He could
buy back the freedom of those who were under the law.
b. God's purpose was to make
us His children.
6. You are God's children.
a. That is why God
sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts.
b. The Spirit cries
out, "Father, dear Father."
7. So, now you are no longer a slave --
a. you are God's
child,
b. God's heir through
Christ.
Become Like Me
8. In the past, you didn't know God.
a. You were slaves
to gods
b. which were not
real,
9. But now you know the true God.
a. Actually, it is
God who knows you!
b. So, why do you
turn back to those weak and useless standards
1. which you followed before?
2. Do you want to be slaves to those things again?
10. You are still observing special days,
a. months, seasons,
and years
b. (* rules from the
law of Moses).
11. I am afraid for you.
a. I am afraid that my
work for you
b. has been wasted.
12. Brothers, I, too, was once like you.
a. So, please, become
like me now.
b. You were very good
to me before.
13. Do you remember why I came to you the first time?
a. It was because I
was sick.
b. That was when I
preached the Good News to you.
14. My sickness was a burden to you,
a. but you didn't look
down on me or make me go away.
b. Instead, you
welcomed me as if I were an angel from God.
c. You accepted me
as if I were Christ Jesus himself!
15. Where is your happiness now?
a. I tell you the
truth, you would have plucked out your own eyes
b. and given them to
me, if that were possible.
16. Now, have I become your enemy, because I am telling you the truth?
17. Those people (* those people mentioned in Galatians 1:7. They
were called Judaizers)
a. are working hard to
persuade you to turn against us,
b. but this is not
good for you.
c. They want you to
follow only them and no one else.
18. It is good for people to show interest in you,
a. but only if their
purpose is always good.
b. This is true
whether I am with you or not.
19. My little children, again I feel pain for you,
a. such as a mother
feels when she gives birth to her child.
b. I will feel this,
until Christ is fully formed in you.
20. I wish I could be with you now.
a. Then perhaps I
could change the tone of my voice.
b. I don't know what
to do with you!
Two Sons
21. Since some of you people still want to be under the law of
Moses,
a. tell me,
b. won't you listen to
what the law says?
22. It is written that Abraham had two sons.
a. The mother of one
son was a slave woman.
b. The mother of the
other son was a free woman.
23. Abraham's son from the slave woman was born in the normal human
way,
a. but the son from
the free woman was born
b. because of the
promise which God made to Abraham.
24. This true story is an example for us:
a. The two women are
like the two agreements between God and men.
b. One agreement is
the law which God made on Mount Sinai
1. (* a mountain on the Sinai peninsula where God gave the law of
Moses)
2. See Deuteronomy 33:2.
c. The people who
are under this agreement are like slaves.
d. The mother, named
Hagar, is like that agreement.
25. So Hagar is like Mount Sinai in Arabia.
a. She represents the
city of Jerusalem today.
b. This city is a
slave, and all of its people are slaves to the law,
26. But the heavenly Jerusalem which is above
a. is like the free
woman.
b. This is our mother.
27. It is written:
"Be happy, O woman who cannot have children! You never gave birth.
Shout and cry out with joy! You never felt the pain of giving birth.
The wife whose husband has left her (* she is all alone)
will have more children than the wife who has a husband" (Isaiah 54:1).
28-29. One son of Abraham (* Ishmael) was born in the normal way.
a. Abraham's other
son, Isaac,
b. was born by the
power of the Spirit because of God's promise.
1. My brothers, you are also children of promise,
2. just as Isaac was then.
3. Ishmael persecuted Isaac.
4. It is the same way now.
30. But what does the Scripture say?
"Throw out the slave woman and her son! The son of the free woman
will receive everything that his father has, but the son of the slave
woman
will receive nothing" (Genesis 21:10).
31. Therefore, my brothers,
a. we are not children
of the slave woman.
b. We are children
of the free woman.
CHAPTER 5
True Faith
1. We have freedom now. Christ made us free.
a. So stand firm.
b. Don't turn and go
back into slavery (* the slavery of the law of Moses).
2. Listen! I, Paul, am telling you this:
a. If you allow
yourselves to be circumcised,
b. then Christ does
you no good.
3. Again, I warn every man:
a. If you allow
yourselves to be circumcised,
b. then you must
follow the entire law.
4. If you try to be made right with God through the law,
a. then you are cut
off from Christ –
b. you have fallen
from grace!
5. But we have a true hope:
a. We wait for it
eagerly.
b. We will be made
right with God through the Spirit.
c. How? By faith!
6. When a person is in Christ Jesus,
a. it doesn't matter
whether he is circumcised or not.
b. The only thing
which is important is faith –
c. the kind of faith
which works through love.
7. You were running a good race.
a. You were obeying
the truth.
b. Who persuaded you
to stop?
8. That persuasion does not come from God who called you.
9. Be careful!
a. "Just a little
yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise."
b. (* The meaning is:
Something small can become a very big problem).
10. Somebody is disturbing you with different ideas.
a. Whoever that person
is, he will certainly be punished.
b. I trust in the Lord
that you will not believe those ideas.
11. Brothers, I still don't preach that people must be circumcised
a. (* a physical mark,
cutting of the foreskin.
b. This sealed the
agreement that God made with Abraham. – see Genesis 17:9-14).
1. If I did, why am I still being persecuted?
2. Then the embarrassment of the cross would be neutralized.
12. I wish those people who are upsetting you
a. would add
castration (* literally, would cut themselves off)
b. to their
circumcision!
13. Brothers, although God called you to be free,
a. don't use your
freedom as an excuse to do all of the things
b. which your physical
body wants.
c. Instead, serve each
other through love.
14. The entire law is made complete in this one command:
"Love other people the same way you love yourself" (Leviticus 19:18)
15. Be careful!
a. If you continue
hurting each other and tearing each other apart,
b. you might
completely destroy one another!
16. So, I tell you: Live by following the Spirit.
a. Then you won't do
the selfish and evil things
b. which you want
in the flesh.
17. The flesh wants things which are against the Spirit.
a. The Spirit wants
things which are against the flesh.
b. These oppose each
other.
c. Because of this,
you cannot do the things that you really intend to do.
18. But, if you let the Spirit lead you, then you are not under the
law.
19. The flesh does things which are wrong. These are clear:
committing sexual sin
not being pure
having orgies
20.
worshipping false gods
practicing witchcraft
hating people
making trouble
being jealous
becoming too angry
being selfish
making people angry with each other
causing divisions
21.
envying others
murdering
getting drunk
having wild parties
and other such things
a. I warn you now,
as I warned you before:
b. The people who
do these things will not inherit God's kingdom.
22. But the Spirit produces:
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
23.
gentleness
self-control.
a. There is no law
b. against things such
as these.
24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus
a. have nailed the
flesh to crosses,
b. along with its
feelings and selfish desires.
25. Since we get life from the Spirit, we should follow the Spirit.
a. We must not be
conceited
b. or make trouble
for each other.
c. Neither should we
be jealous of one another.
CHAPTER 6
Help Each Other
1. Brothers, a person in your congregation might fall into a
particular sin.
a. You people who are
spiritual should repair such a person with a gentle spirit.
b. But watch yourself!
c. You also might be
tempted to sin.
2. Help carry each other's burdens. In this way, you truly
satisfy the "law" of Christ.
3. If someone thinks that he is important (when he really is
not), he is only fooling himself.
4. A person should not compare himself with someone else.
a. Each person should
judge his own actions.
b. Then he may rejoice
in what he himself has done.
5. Each person must shoulder his own responsibility.
6. The one who is learning about God's message
a. should share all of
the good things he has
b. with the one who is
teaching him.
Never Give Up
7. Don't be fooled!
a. You cannot mock
God.
b. A person harvests
only the things which he plants
c. (* Life is like
a farmer who gets only what he plants).
8. If a person lives (* literally, plants) to satisfy the flesh,
a. then his selfish
ways will bring (* literally, harvest) eternal death to him.
b. But, if a person
lives (* plants) to please the Spirit,
c. he will receive
eternal life from the Spirit.
9. We must never become tired of doing good.
a. We will receive our
harvest of eternal life at the right time.
b. We must never give
up!
10. Therefore, when we have the chance to do good to anybody,
a. we should do it,
b. but we should give
special attention to those who are within the family of believers.
The Cross, the Cross
11. I AM WRITING THIS MYSELF; LOOK AT THE LARGE LETTERS I AM USING!
12. Some men are trying to force you to be circumcised
a. (* a physical mark,
cutting off of the foreskin.
b. This sealed the
agreement that God made with Abraham – see Genesis 17:9-14).
1. They do these things, so that the Jewish people will accept
them,
2. fearing they will be persecuted, if they follow only the cross
of Christ
c. (* a picture
of the gospel – the death and resurrection of Christ, God’s way of
salvation).
13. These men who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves,
a. but they want you
to be circumcised,
b. so that they may
brag about your flesh.
14. I hope that I will never brag about something like that!
a. The cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging.
b. Through the cross
of Jesus, my world has died
c. (* literally, has
been crucified – nailed to the cross)
d. and I died to the
world.
15. In Christ Jesus it doesn't matter
a. whether a person is
circumcised or uncircumcised.
b. All that is
important is being a new creation.
16. Peace and mercy to the people who follow this rule--to God's
Israel.
17. So don't give me any more trouble.
a. I carry scars on my
body
b. (* When Paul
preached Christ, some people beat him; this left scars)
c. which show that
I belong to the Lord Jesus.
18. Brothers, may the gracious love of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
your spirit. Amen.
Go To: Ephesians