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The Epistle to the Galatians
English
version of the translation by Hermann Detering
provided
by Frans-Joris Fabri (based on RSV)
Original (Marcionite) Text
Catholic
Substitute, resp. Addition Numbers in brackets refer to: IV. Explanations
Contents:
1)
Introduction: Paul, called to be an Apostle not by man, but by God
2)
There is but one Gospel: Paul’s
3)
Paul’s Gospel, received not from
the
5)
The Conflict about the Truth of the Gospel: Conflict with Cephas in Antioch
6)
The Spirit and Miraculous Powers are received by Faith, not by Works of the Law
7)
The Curse of the Law and the Blessing of Faith
9)
Personal Address: from God’s Angel to „Enemy“
10)
Allegorical Exegesis: the Faithful as Sons
12)
The Flesh Crucified: Walking by the Spirit, not by the Flesh
13)
Conclusions to be Practiced in the Community
14)
The True Motives of the Judaising Heretics
15)
Conclusion: Paul bears the Marks of Christ.
1
) Introduction: Paul, called to be an Apostle not by man, but by God
1:1
Paul, an apostle- not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and
God the Father, who
1:2
and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
1:3
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
1:4
who gave himself for
our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our
God and Father,
1:5
to whom be the glory
forever and ever. Amen. (2)
2 ) There
is but one Gospel: Paul’s
1:6
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the
grace [of Christ] (3) and are turning to a different gospel,
1:7
which
1:8
But even if we [the original author here refers to the Paul of Acts] or an angel
from heaven [of the Creator God] should preach [to you] something different from
what we preached to you, let him be accursed!
1:9
As we have said
before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to
the one you received, let him be accursed! (5)
1:10
For am I now [saying just this] seeking the approval of man, or of
3
) Paul’s Gospel, received not from the Jerusalem Apostles,
1:11
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is
not man's gospel.
1:12
For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it
through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
1:13
For you have
heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently
and tried to destroy it.
1:14
And I was advancing
in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I
for the traditions of my fathers. (7)
1:15
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his
grace,
1:16
was pleased (8) to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among
the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood;
1:17
nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went
away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
1:18
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit
Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.
1:19
But I saw none of the other apostles except James the
Lord's brother.
1:20
In what I am writing to you, before God [I profess], I
do not lie!
1:21
Then I went into the
regions of Syria and Cilicia.
1:22
And I was still
unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
1:23
They only were
hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he
once tried to destroy."
1:24
And they glorified
God because of me. (9)
2:1
Then after fourteen years I went up again
to Jerusalem with
Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
2:2
I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though
privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I
proclaim among the Gentiles, in
order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
(10)
2:3
But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was
a Greek
2:4
Yet
because of false brothers secretly brought in- who slipped in to spy out our
freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery-
2:5
to them we did not yield in submission
2:6
And from those who seemed to be influential [….] (12) (what they were makes no
difference to me; God shows no partiality)- those, I say, who seemed influential
added nothing to me.
2:7
On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to
the uncircumcised, just
as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised,
2:8
for he who worked
through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through
me for mine to the Gentiles, (13)
2:9
and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the
grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we
2:10
Only, they asked us
to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. (14)
5
) The Conflict about the Truth of the Gospel:
2:11
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood
condemned.
2:12
For before
2:13
And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even
Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
2:14
But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel,
I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a
Gentile and not like a Jew, how can
you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
2:15
We ourselves are
Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
2:16
yet we know that a person is not
justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to
be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of
the law no one will be justified.
2:17
But if, in our endeavor to be justified in
Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin?
Certainly not! (16)
2:18
For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor [of the
law which had been torn down].
2:19
For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been
crucified with Christ.
2:20
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live
in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
2:21
I do not nullify the grace of
God, for if justification were through the law, then Christ died for
no purpose [no liberation from the Creator God].
6
) The Spirit and Miraculous Powers are received by faith,
3:1
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus
Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
3:2
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by
hearing with faith?
3:3
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by
the flesh?
3:4
Did you suffer so many things in vain- if indeed it was in vain?
3:5
Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by
works of the law, or by hearing with faith-
3:6
just as Abraham
"believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness".
3:7
Know then that it is
those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
3:8
And the Scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel
beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be
blessed."
3:9
So then, those who
are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (18)
7
) The Curse of the Law and the Blessing of Faith
3:10
3:11
Now it is evident that no
one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."
3:12
But the law is not of faith, rather
"The one who does them shall live by them." (19)
3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-
for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"-
(20)
3:14
so that in
Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,
3:15
To give a human
example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it
once it has been ratified.
3:16
Now the promises
were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to
offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your
offspring," who is Christ.
3:17
This is what I mean:
the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously
ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.
3:18
For if the
inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to
Abraham by a promise.
3:19
Why then the law? It
was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the
promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an
intermediary.
3:20
Now an intermediary
implies more than one, but God is one.
3:21
Is the law then
contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that
could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.
3:22
But the Scripture
imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ
might be given to those who believe.
3:23
Now before faith
came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith
would be revealed.
3:24
So then, the law was
our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
3:25
But now that faith
has come, we are no longer under a guardian, (22)
3:26
for you are all sons
3:27
For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ.
3:28
There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
3:29
And if you are
Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
4:1
I mean that the
heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the
owner of everything,
4:2
but he is under
guardians and managers until the date set by his father.
4:3
4:4
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, (25)
4:5
to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as
sons.
4:6 And because
4:7
So you are no longer a slave, but a son,
and if a son, then an heir through God.
4:8
Formerly, when you
did not know God,
4:9
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can
you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world
[that are, according to marcionite-gnostic doctrine, responsible for the law]
whose slaves you want to be once more?
4:10
You observe days and months and seasons and years
4:11
I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
9
) Personal Address: from God’s Angel to “Enemy”
4:12
Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You
did me no wrong.
4:13
You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at
first,
4:14
and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but
received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
4:15
What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if
possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
4:16
Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth [of the Gospel]?
4:17
They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that
you may make much of them.
4:18
It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am
present with you,
4:19
my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until
Christ is formed in you!
4:20
I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed
about you.
10)
Allegorical Exegesis: the Faithful as Sons of the Free Woman,
4:21
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?
4:22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a
free woman.
4:23
But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the
free woman was born through promise. (30)
4:24 Now this may be interpreted
allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing
children
4:25
Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she
corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
4:26
But the Jerusalem
above is free, and she is our mother.
4:27
For it is written,
"Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you
who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than
those of the one who has a husband."
4:28
Now you, brothers,
like Isaac, are children of promise.
4:29
But just as at that
time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born
according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
4:30
But what does the
Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the
slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman."
(31)
4:31
So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.
5:1
5:2
Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no
advantage to you.
5:3
I testify again
5:4
5:5
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of
righteousness.
5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
(34)
5:7
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
5:8
This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
5:9
A little leaven
5:10
I have confidence
5:11
But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?
In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
5:12
I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
5:13
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
5:14
For the whole law is fulfilled for you in
one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (36)
5:15
But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by
one another.
12
) The
Flesh Crucified: Walking by the Spirit, not by the Flesh
5:16
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh.
5:17
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the
Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you
from doing the things you want to do.
5:18
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
5:19
Now the works of the flesh are evident: [adultery] sexual immorality, impurity,
sensuality,
5:20
idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries,
dissensions, divisions,
5:21
5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,
5:23
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
5:24
And those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
5:25
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
5:26
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
13
) Conclusions to be Practiced in the Community
6:1
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should
restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be
tempted.
6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
6:3
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
6:4
But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in
himself alone and not in his neighbor.
6:5
For each will have to bear his own load.
6:6
One who is taught the word must share all
good things with the one who teaches [him]. (38)
6:7
6:8
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but
the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for
in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
6:10
14
) The true Motives of the Judaising Heretics
6:11
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
6:12
It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to
be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross
of Christ.
6:13
For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they
desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. (41)
6:14
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
6:15
For neither
circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
6:16
And as for all who
walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
(42)
15
) Conclusion: Paul bears the Marks of Christ
6:17
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of
6:18
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
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