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GALATIANS
Galatians 1:1-5
I, Paul, as God's chosen apostle, am sending this letter to the churches in Galatia and asking God's blessings on you.
I am disappointed thatyouare believing a message thatisnotthe good news about Christ, andI ask God to eternally punish thosewhoare teaching sucha message.
ItwasJesusChrist, notanyhuman, who revealed the message thatI proclaim.
For 17 years afterGod showed his Son tome, Ihadno contact withthe apostles.
Finally, when I returned to Jerusalem and told Peter, James, and John what I always proclaim, they agreed that Barnabas and I were preaching the same message and serving the Lord just like they were.
Later I rebuked Peterfornot behaving according tothe gospel, inthathewas encouraging non-Jews to adopt Jewish laws and rituals.
Because you trusted in Christ, not because you obeyed the laws God gave Moses, you received the Holy Spirit and now experience his working among you.
Itisthose Jews and non-Jews who trust Christ whoare Abraham's spiritual descendants, becausethosewho seek tobe justified by obeying thelawsthatGod gave Moses are condemned byGod.
Christwas condemned insteadofus, sothatGodmight bless the non-Jews justashe blessed Abraham, andsothatwemight receive the Spirit.
By giving his laws tothe Jews, God hasnot canceled whathepromisedtoAbraham much earlier concerning his descendant, Christ. Just like God gave his blessings toAbraham just becausehepromisedtodoso, he freely giveshis blessings tous.
Godgavehislawsto supervise us sinful Jews until Christ, Abraham's promised descendant, would come.
Becauseofour relationship with Christ, weare Abraham's spiritual descendants, and God's heirs, nolonger like slaves.
Each of you is no longer like a slave, but a child of God and an heir of what he has promised.
I plead withyoutodoasIdidwhenIwaswithyou, andnot obey all the Jewish rules and rituals.
Becauseofour relationship with Christ, wearenot subject to Mosaic law; being Abraham's spiritual descendants, weare free from such bondage.
Reject the false teaching that you must be circumcised, and do not become enslaved to rules and rituals again, otherwise Christ will not benefit you at all.
Althoughsomeonehas confused you, Iam sure thatyouwillnot accept his false teaching, andthat God will punish him.
Althoughyouare free from having to obey Jewish rules, instead of doing whatyour self-directed nature desires, love and serve each other.
Let God's Spirit direct you, andthenyouwillnotdowhatyour self-directed nature desires.
Thosewho think evil thoughts anddo evil thingswillnot receive the blessings of God's rule, but God's Spirit produces many good qualities inour lives.
Gently correct anyone among you who is sinning, and help each other without thinking you are better than others.
We should not tire of doing good, butinstead, we should dogoodtoeveryone, especially to believers.
Somepeople want youtobe circumcised only sothattheywill not be persecuted for proclaiming what Christ accomplished for us onthe cross, butthatisthe only thingthatIwill boast about.
Ihave suffered enough for declaring the truth aboutJesus, sodonot trouble meagain.
I pray that God may act kindly withinyou.

Note: The Old Testament in this translation is still being worked on, and is in draft form. Updates will be posted at eBible.org/t4t/.

© 2008-2017 Ellis W. Deibler, Jr.