| Chapter 1:1From: Paul, an ambassador of the Good News. I was not ordained away from men or through men. No, it was through Yeshua the Messiah and God the Father who raised Yeshua from death. 2So--To those with complete companionship to me: Every brother, the called out of Galatia, [I pray that] to you the 3gracious gift of acceptance and peace from God, a Father and our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. 4He delivered himself for our sins, so that He could rescue us from the present world of hurtful evil according to the will of God and our Father, 5whose abundant glory is forever and ever. Amen. 6[I am] amazed that so quickly you transferred away from the written invitation by God to the Book of Life through the Messiah’s gracious gift of acceptance toward a different message, 7where there actually is no other true message. Yet some people are agitating you, wanting to distort the Good News of the Messiah. 8Nevertheless, in case that if we—or even another Good News messenger—tell you a gospel contrary to the gospel we already told you, then ban them! 9I said this before; I am saying it again: If anyone preaches a gospel to you that is different from what you received, then ban them! 10Indeed—now, do I persuade men—or does God? Or do I worship God to please man? For if I then still sought to please men I would absolutely not be a servant of the Messiah. 11Brothers, I am letting you know the gospel that I preached to you was not man-made. 12I did not receive it from men; no man taught it to me. No, Yeshua the Messiah appeared and told me the Good News. 13For you heard at length about my past life in the Judaism. I went beyond persecuting God’s congregation and did my best to destroy them. 14In Judaism, I advanced over my contemporaries in the faith, behaving more fanatical in following our traditions. 15But God chose me from my mother’s womb as He wanted and as it was written about His gracious affection and generosity 16to reveal His Son to me, so that I could tell the Good News about Yeshua to non-Jewish people. I didn’t immediately receive advice or help in understanding this from any human being. 17I didn’t go up to Jerusalem to the men who were messengers before I was. No, I went away to Arabia. Afterward, I went back to the city of Damascus. 18Three years later, I went up to Jerusalem to meet Kefas (Peter) and for 15 days I stayed with him. 19I saw no other apostles—only James, the brother of the Lord. 20(Now listen, what I tell you in the presence of God is not a lie!) 21Later I went to the areas of Syria and Cilicia. 22In Judea, the congregations in Messiah did not know my face. 23They only heard that the one who persecuted us then is now preaching the same faith he once tried to destroy! 24They were praising God because of me. Galatians 2:1Then 14 years later, I again went up to Jerusalem taking Barnabas and Titus along with me. 2I went up according to a revelation and I privately gave to those who were well known the details about the gospel that I preach to non-Jewish people, to avoid I running the race in vain. 3These leaders did not force Titus, the man with me who was a Greek, to be circumcised 4eventhough some unawares brought in phony brothers who snuck in to find out about the freedom that we have in the Messiah Yeshua, so that they could intimidate and control us. 5But not for one moment did we give in, so that the truth of the gospel would continue with you. 6It doesn’t matter to me whether these leaders were well known or not, since God treats all people alike, nothing was changed [in the gospel that I preach]. 7On the contrary, they saw that God had entrusted me with the Good News to the uncircumcised, just as Peter was with the circumcised. 8God working in Peter, the rock as a messenger for people in Judaism and also in me for the other nations. 9James, Kefas (Peter) and John seemed to be the main leaders of those who were well known. They realized God had given me grace. They accepted Barnabas and me and committed their fellowship that we go to non-Jewish people but they will go to the Jews. 10They asked only one thing—to remember the poor people, which I really wanted to do anyway. 11When Kefas (Peter) came to Antioch I opposed him because he was wrong. 12Prior to the arrival of the men that James sent, Peter always ate with the non-Jewish people of Antioch. But as soon as they came, Peter withdrew himself and stopped eating with them because he was preoccupied by those Jewish men. 13The other Jewish believers hypocritically joined Peter, even Barnabas was influenced by the things they did. 14When I saw that they were not following the gospel correctly—I spoke to Peter in front of all the other Jews. I said, “If you are a Jew but do not live as a Jew, then why do you force non-Jewish people to live as Jews? 15We are natural Jews and not from a nation who is lost. 16We know that if it weren’t for the truthfulness of God [in other words: faith] upon Yeshua the Messiah, a person could not be made right with God even by following the law! Therefore, we who are working in Yeshua the Messiah, trust that we can only be made right by faith in Messiah and not from works of the law, because working the whole law cannot make the flesh right. 17If in seeking to submit to Messiah, we found ourselves to be sinners, then is Messiah a servant of sin? No way!” 18So, if I again taught these things that I destroyed, then I’ve made myself as a transgressor. 19For because of the Law, I died to the Law, so that I may now live very holy. 20I have been crucified to live in Messiah! And I no longer live, but the Messiah lives in me! I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God. He loved me and he surrendered himself for me. 21I do not set aside this gracious gift from God, for if righteousness came through the Law, then the Messiah died for nothing! Galatians 3:1Oh! Foolish Galatians! Who bewitched you? We openly discussed so you clearly understood why Yeshua the Messiah was crucified on the cross. 2Tell me this one thing: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law? Or did you receive the Spirit by hearing the truth itself [faith]? 3Have you lost your senses? You began with the Spirit, so how could the effort of your own flesh finish your perfection? 4Have you suffered so many things for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you because you follow Jewish Law or by hearing the truth itself [faith]? 6Just as Abraham put his faith in God this was considered as his righteousness. 7So, you should realize that those who have faith [the truth established by God about God] are the children of Abraham. 8The Scriptures told that us God would make non-Jewish people righteous—through their faith. God promised Abraham long ago that through him all nations would be blessed. [God had been teaching righteous through faith longer than the Law has been taught and Paul was always one to remind believers of this easily forgotten fact!] 9Consequently, all people who trust are blessed as Abraham was blessed for his faith, 10but as long as people depend on working to follow the law, they are under the curse [of sin and death]. It is written: For cursed is everyone who does not continue to do all things written in the book of the Law. 11And this is clear: By Law, no person can be made right in the presence of God, however, the upright person will live by faith 12and the law is not of faith, but those who choose to do these things will live under them. 13The Messiah redeemed us out from under the curse of the Law, having been made a curse for us. It was written: For cursed is everyone who has been hung on a tree. 14The way that the blessing of Abraham is bestowed to the nations would be by the Messiah Yeshua in that the promise of the Spirit would be received through faith [the truth established by God about God]. 15Brothers, I’ll give you an example where once a man approves his “Last Will and Testament” document, then no one may set it aside or add to it. 16The promises were made to Abraham and his descendant. It does not say to his descendants, as to many but instead to that One, who is the Messiah. 17And I’ll say this, God approved a will [a “Last Will and Testament” type] to Abraham and 430 years later came the Law and it did not annul or abolish God’s promise [of the coming Messiah through Abraham]. 18For if the inheritance came from the law it is no longer from the promise; but God gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise [not Law]. 19Then, why were we given the law? It was given because for the sake of sin. As long as The Descendant had not come to those it was promised, the Law was a mediating instrument instituted through messengers. 20A referee or mediating instrument is not needed when there is only one side because God is only one side. [The purpose of the Law was to mediate between the knowledge of good AND EVIL, not to give us the eternal life. It is the promise of and through Messiah that brings us to eternal life with the eternal God, our redemption and salvation!] 21So, does this mean that the law is against God’s promises? Certainly not, for if a law had been given that was able to give men life, then we could truly be made right by following law. 22On the one hand, the Scriptures reveal everything is held captive by sin, so that the promise [of our eternal life with an eternal God] could be received through faith—to those who commit their trust to Yeshua the Messiah! 23Before this faith came, the Law protectively guarded all of us who were kept by it until faith could be received. 24So, the Law of Moses was our trainer, until the Messiah came so that we could be made right with God through faith. 25On the other hand faith has arrived; we no longer live under a trainer. 26For you are all children of God through faith in the Messiah Yeshua. 27For all those who were immersed into Messiah, He’s got you covered. 28There is no Jew or Greek, no slave or free man, no male or female for all you are one in Yeshua the Messiah 29and if you are in Messiah then you are a descendant of Abraham’s according to the promise [of his Will] to receive this inheritance. Galatians 4:1I will tell you this: for as long as the heir is immature, he is no different from a slave [to the Law] even though this heir owns everything [from the promise of the Will] 2but indeed under guardians and overseers, until the age appointed by his father. 3So it is for us! When I was immature, under the principles of this world, I was enslaved. 4When the right time came, God sent His Son. He was born from a woman and even He lived under Law 5so that He could redeem those under the Law in order that we may be adopted. 6Now, because you are in the family, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts that cries out, “Daddy, Dear Poppa.” 7So, you are no longer a slave—but mature result and heir of God’s through Messiah. 8When you indeed did not know God, you were slaves to things that were not really god’s [at all] 9but now you know the true God. Actually, it is God who knows you! So, how did you choose to turn back to those weak and useless standards, which enslaved you from the beginning? 10You scrupulously observe days, months, seasons, and years. 11I am afraid for you, that somehow this work among you has been wasted. 12I am begging you to become like the brothers we once were. You were very good to me. 13You remember that I was sick when I previously preached the Good News to you; 14but you didn’t look down on me in my illness or reject me. Instead, you received me as a messenger from God, even as like the Messiah Yeshua! 15What happened to the supremely blest relationship we shared? I tell you the truth; you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me, if that were possible. 16Did I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17Passionate—but not in your best interest, some want to isolate and control you. 18It is good to be passionate about all the intrinsically good things and not merely when we are together. 19My little children, again I never stop suffering until the Messiah is fully formed in you. 20I wish I could be with you now and to change the tone of my voice, because I am at a loss with you! 21Since some of you people still want to be under law, tell me, do you hear what the law says? 22It is written: “Abraham had two sons, one from a slave woman and the other from a free woman.” 23Indeed, the son from the slave woman was born out of carnal thinking, but the son from the free woman was born because of a promise. 24This is an allegory [Allegory is Paul’s word, not mine. If you do not like the word--fine, don't like it but it means accurate rendering or symbolism]: These women are like two agreements. One agreement is Hagar from Mount Sinai; the people who are delivered under this agreement are like slaves. 25So Hagar is like Mount Sinai in Arabia and she also represents the enslaved city of Jerusalem today [practicing empty legalism under the law, for the sake of intellect alone without a shred of justification through Messiah] and those future children of hers; 26but the heavenly Jerusalem from above is like the free woman and is our mother. 27It is written: “Now you can rejoice, O childless woman! You can shout with joy though you never before had a child! Because that desolate one has many more children, than the married woman.” [This means that to have the husband—the covenant, is more than enough—He is the means that has provided the promise of fulfillment that is coming.] 28But you dear brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise. 29The son that was born out of carnal thinking persecuted the son of promise and it is the same way now! 30But what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son! The son of the of the slave woman will definitely not inherit anything with the son of the free woman.” 31Therefore, my brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. Galatians 5:1In freedom, the Messiah made us free. So stand firm and do not be held by the yoke of slavery again. 2Listen! I, Paul, am telling you this: if you require yourselves to be circumcised, then the Messiah does you no good. 3Again, I warn every man: if you require yourselves to be circumcised, then you are in debt to the entire Law. 4You have far and away made the Messiah entirely useless if you try to be made right with God through Law—you have fallen away from the gracious joy! 5For by the faith placed in us by the Holy Spirit we eagerly expect the hope of righteousness. 6People given wholly over to the Messiah Yeshua, circumcised or not, it doesn’t matter are strengthened by faith—the kind of faith that works through love. 7You were running the course well! Who held you back and persuaded you to stop? 8That persuasion does not come from the One who wrote your book. 9“Just a little yeast seeps into the whole batch of dough.” [Yeast softens and puffs up baked goods. In baked goods this is a good thing but for a man, to be soft (weak) and puffed up (arrogant) is a dangerous thing. Sin makes us weak, so weak that we can’t resist—we are enslaved by it; where arrogance makes us stupid enough to think we are just fine without God’s refinement. Jewish tradition uses yeast as a metaphor for sin. Once a little yeast is in the dough, how can you get it out, except by supernatural means?] 10I trust in the Lord that you will not believe those other things. The one who is disrupting you, that person receives the judgment. 11But brothers, how could I still teach that people must be circumcised, if am I still being persecuted [for abandoning this requirement]? Besides, this makes the [Messiah’s] willing surrender on that scandalous execution stake utterly useless! 12I wish for your sake that those who are upsetting you would castrate themselves! [Perhaps Paul feels that just one less fleshly pursuit is a good start!] 13Brothers, God wrote freedom into your book, not merely the freedom concerning physical opportunities, but the freedom to serve each other through generosity and affection. 14The entire law is completely accomplished in this one command: “You will love other people as yourself.” 15But if you continue to thwart and devour each other, never looking beneath it all, you’ll be consumed! 16So, I tell you: Live through the Spirit, because your human nature will not fulfill you at all. 17Human nature longs for things that oppose the Spirit; and the Spirit wants things that oppose our human natures. These things are so contrary to each other that whatever you really mean to do never gets done. 18But, if the Spirit leads you [and teaches you], then you are not under law. 19Now clearly revealed, we know that human nature is committed to some of these things: sexual recklessness including prostitution (harlotry), adultery, incest, sexual intimacy without the benefit of vows (fornication); physical and moral impurity; extravagance (licentiousness), decadence (debauchery); 20worshiping images and false gods; over-medicating and poisoning self and others with drugs and potions (practicing witchcraft), dealing drugs (sorcery), tricksters and con artists (magic); hostility, enmity and hating people; quarreling, wrangling, debating, and making trouble; being jealous and heated envy; fierce passion and becoming too angry; contentious strife and rivalries, being selfish; causing divisions, promoting resistance (seditions) and making people angry with each other; heresies and creating new sects; 21spiteful jealousy and envying of others; intoxication and getting drunk; carousing and having wild parties, and things similar to these. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The people who are practicing these things will not inherit God’s kingdom. [Let’s not forget that Paul teaches us to let the Holy Spirit create a new man—a second man or spirit man that is eminently larger than this physical existence. The behaviors listed in this paragraph are all first birth behaviors, which are impossible for the new man to participate in. The word tells us that this man is incorruptible. When we struggle with these behaviors, we can be completely sure that we are in our old man, who needs to immediately be surrendered to the Holy Spirit to be dispensed with. I never need to take credit for my salvation, because I’m not the one who forms the new man in me.] 22But the Spirit produces: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. There is no Law against things such as these. [Another way to remember: These things are from God’s Holy Spirit and need no mediation; they are strictly one sided—from God about God. The Law mediates between the knowledge of good and the knowledge of EVIL.] 24Those that belong to the Messiah Yeshua crucify their own human nature, along with the passions and lusts, 25for as much as we get [this new] life from the Holy Spirit, we should therefore follow the Holy Spirit. 26Let’s not become conceited or make trouble for each other; we shouldn’t be jealous of each other. Galatians 6:1In case that a brother even anticipate a person of any willful transgressions, you—the non-carnal and regenerated who are perfectly joined together through the gentleness of the Holy Spirit must look at yourselves so you never test 2one another; take up their load and in this way accomplish the principle of the Messiah. 3If then anyone supposes to be someone [important], not at all being [important], he deludes himself. 4Now—one is to examine his own deeds and then only against himself to glory; held with and not against one another, 5for each one will carry his own load. 6Also [you must] communicate with others to teach the interpretation of the instruction of all good things. 7Absolutely do not roam from safety truth or virtue. God will not be mocked. For what ever a person sows, this also will they reap. 8For if a person sows satisfaction to his carnal mind alone, then he will reap ruin; but sowing satisfaction to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will harvest eternal life. 9Now to the virtuous absolutely do not be weary. Indeed a set time to harvest one’s own [is coming]. 10Perhaps, accordingly after that set time we have, tell the good things to all—particularly now with the household of the believers! 11See how large the letters I write with my hand to you are? 12As long as some human beings delight in making the same outwardly display (again, you know to be circumcised), merely in order to forbear [abstain from, avoid] the persecution of the execution stake of Messiah, 13for not even theses men who are circumcised keep the law. Nevertheless delighting in your circumcision, to rejoice to the intent that outwardly pertains to your flesh. 14Now, to me this is absolutely no cause to rejoice, except that [rejoicing] for the sake of the crucifixion of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah; through whom my world was crucified and I to the world! 15Indeed because of Messiah Yeshua neither is circumcision anything at all good to have, or even [to be] uncircumcised; on the contrary: [it is to be] a new creation! 16Therefore as long as to this standard of faith and practice [believers] conform to virtue and piety, peace on them and compassion and on [the commonwealth of] Israel of God. [If you believe that Yeshua is the promise given to Abraham and that He fulfilled all the requirements of the promise, then you are in the commonwealth of Israel.] 17To the rest: Not even one person troubles me, for I wear the scar of service of my Lord Yeshua the Messiah to lift up within the body. 18Brothers, May the gracious gift of acceptance of your Lord Yeshua the Messiah, be joined to your spirit. Amen. |
| The Letter from Paul to the Galatians |
| (Comments in these parentheses are the afterthoughts of Paul himself) [Comments in these brackets are my commentaries, based on Jewish history and background] {Comments in these brackets are other commentaries of notoriety} |
| copyright © Jecoliah 2003 |
 |
|
|
|
| To go to the Home page |
| for a Ephesians Study copyright © Jecoliah 2003 |
| for study of Matthew copyright © Jecoliah 2003 |
| To go to the bookstore |