An Original Translation of the Book of

Galatians
by
Josh James

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© 2011, Josh James. All Rights Reserved.
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From Paul (an apostle not sent by men or sent using a man, but rather
through Jesus the Messiah and God the Father, who raised him from the
dead) and all of the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia: may grace and peace be given to you by God our
Father and the Master, Jesus the Messiah, who gave himself for our sins, so
that he might rescue us from this current wicked age according to God our
Father’s will—to him be glory forever and ever, amen!

I am amazed that you have so quickly turned on the one who

called you by the Messiah’s grace, and have followed another
message. It is not really another one—yet there are some who are
causing trouble for you, who want to pervert the message of the
Messiah. However, even if we or an angel from heaven preach
anything to you other than what we have preached to you, may God
put a curse on him! As I have just said, I am telling you now again: if
anyone preaches something to you that is different from what you
received, may God put a curse on him!
Now, do I try to persuade men or God? Do I seek to please men?
If I still sought to please men, I would not be a servant of the
Messiah.
Brothers, I am making known to you that the message that was
preached by me was not human, because I neither received it from a
man, nor was I taught it. On the contrary, I received it through
revelation from Jesus the Messiah.
You heard about my conduct when I was affiliated with Judaism,
that I obsessively persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. I
advanced in Judaism beyond many people my age in my nation,
because I was overly zealous for my forefathers’ tradition. However,
when God (who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me
by his grace) determined to reveal his Son using me, so that I might
preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with
flesh and blood, and I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were
apostles before me. On the contrary, I went up to Arabia and then
returned a second time to Damascus.
Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to consult with
Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. I did not see the
other apostles except for James, the Master’s brother. I am writing
this to you in God’s presence—I am not lying. Then I went to the
regions of Syria and Cilicia, but I was not recognized by the Jewish
churches in Christ. They had only heard that “The one who once
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persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.” Then
they glorified God because of me.
Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem again, with
Barnabas (who I took with me) and Titus. I went up based on a
revelation, and I privately explained to those who were influential the
message that I preach among the Gentiles, to make sure that I was
not running (or had not run) in vain. And Titus, who was with me,
was not even forced to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
Yet, false brothers slipped in to spy on the freedom that we have in
Jesus the Messiah, so that they might enslave us. Because they
sneaked in, we did not give in to them even for a moment, so that the
message’s truth might continue with you. What did these influential
men amount to? It makes no difference to me what kind of people
they were—God does not show favoritism with people—for it seems
to me that the influential men did not contribute anything. On the
other hand, they saw that I had been entrusted with the message for
the uncircumcised in the same way that Peter was entrusted with the
message for the circumcised. The one who empowered Peter for a
mission to the circumcised also empowered me for a mission to the
Gentiles! When James, Cephas, and John (those considered to be
columns) realized the grace that was given to me, they extended to
me and Barnabas the right hand of partnership, so that we may go to
the Gentiles, and they may go to the circumcised. They just advised
us to remember the poor—which I also am very diligent to do.
However, when Cephas came to Antioch, I got in his face and
opposed him, because he was to blame. Before some people came
from James, he ate with the Gentiles, but when they came, he
withdrew from them and separated himself because he was afraid of
the Jews. Then the rest of the Jews committed this hypocrisy with
him, to the point that even Barnabas was carried away with them in
hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not acting right with regard to
the truth, I told Peter in front of all of them, “If you—a Jew—live like
a Gentile and not a Jew, how could you force the Gentiles to live like
Jews?”
We are Jews by birth, and not “sinners” from Gentile descent.
We know that a man is not made righteous by doing what the Law
says, but rather by the faith of Jesus the Messiah. We ourselves have
also believed in Jesus the Messiah, so that we might be made
righteous by the faith of the Messiah and not by doing what the Law
says. No one will be made righteous by doing what the Law says.
However, if we are seeking to be made righteous in Christ, and we
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are found to be sinners ourselves, then is the Messiah a butler for sin?
Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I have destroyed, I prove myself to
be a sinner! You see, I died to the Law, through the Law, so that I
might live to God—I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer
live—it is the Messiah who lives in me. I live the life that I live in
this body by faith in God’s son, who loved me and gave himself for
me. I am not careless about God’s grace. You see, if righteousness
comes from the Law, Christ has died for nothing.
You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you? Before their
very eyes Jesus the Messiah was publicly portrayed as crucified! I
just want to learn one thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by
doing what the law says, or by hearing—by faith? Have you
experienced this remarkable thing for nothing (if indeed it was for
nothing)? So, as for the One who gives you the Spirit and performs
miracles using you: does he do this based on your doing what the
Law says, or based on your hearing by faith? It was the same way
with Abraham: “He believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness.”
From this you know that those who live by faith—those are the
sons of Abraham! The scripture saw beforehand that God would
make the Gentiles righteous by faith, because it previously had
proclaimed to Abraham: “All the Gentiles will be blessed in you.”
Therefore, those who live by faith are blessed together with
Abraham’s faith. Everyone who lives by doing what the Law says is
under a curse, because it is written: “Everyone who does not
continue to do the things written in this book of the Law is cursed.”
It is clear that no one is made righteous before God by the Law,
because “The righteous will live by faith.” However, the law is not
based on faith, because it is written: “Whoever does these things will
live by them.” The Messiah redeemed us from the Law’s curse by
becoming a curse for us, because it is written: “Everyone who is
hanged on a tree is cursed.” Therefore the blessing of Abraham
might come to the Gentiles in Jesus the Messiah, so that we might
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Brothers, I am speaking in human terms, but no one disregards or
modifies a human covenant that has been ratified. Now, these
promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not
say “and to offsprings,” referring to many; but referring to one: “and
to your offspring.” That one is the Messiah! So I say this: a law that
came to be 430 years after that covenant was ratified by God will not
revoke that covenant or make its promise worthless. If the
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inheritance is based on the Law, it is no longer based on the promise.
Yet, God has shown favor to Abraham by a promise! So, why does
the Law exist? It was added to the covenant because of trespasses,
until the promised offspring would come who was appointed by the
hand of a mediator using angels. Now, a mediator implies that there
are more than one—however, there is one God!
So, is the Law opposed to God’s promises? Absolutely not! If
there were a law given that could create life, righteousness really
would have been based on law. However, the Scripture has locked
everything together under sin, so that the promise might be given to
those who are faithful based on the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah.
Now, before faith came, we were all locked together under the
Law’s custody until that anticipated faith should be revealed. So, the
Law had become our guardian until the Messiah, so that we might be
made righteous based on faith. Now that faith has come, we are no
longer under a guardian, because in Jesus the Messiah, all of you are
God’s sons through faith. Every one of you who has been immersed
into the Messiah has put on the Messiah. There is no Jew or Greek;
there is no slave or free person; there is no male or female—you are
all one in Jesus the Messiah! And if you belong to the Messiah, you
are Abraham’s offspring: heirs, as far as the promise is concerned!
I am telling you: as long as the heir is a child, he is no different
from a servant, even though he is the master of all of them. Rather,
he is placed under guardians and managers until the time that his
father has set. We are like this, too! When we were children, we
were enslaved to the fundamental principles of the world. However,
when the time had fully come, God sent his son who was born of a
woman. He was born under the Law, so that he might redeem those
who were under the Law, and that we might receive adoption. So,
because you are sons, God has sent his Son’s Spirit unto our hearts,
which cries out, “Daddy, Father!” Therefore, you are no longer a
servant, but a son; and if you are a son, you are heirs through God!
At that time, since you did not know God, you served beings of
nature, which are not gods. Now that you know God, or rather have
become known by God, how can you turn back to those weak and
miserable elementary principles—do you want to be enslaved again?
You carefully observe days, months, seasons, and years; I am afraid
that the work I did for you was for nothing.
Become like me, because I am like you, brothers. I beg you—do
not hurt me. You know that I preached to you the first time through
bodily weakness. You did not hate or disdain the difficulty that my
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body caused you; on the contrary, you received me as if I were an
angel of God or Jesus the Messiah. Therefore, where is your
blessing? I testify to you that if possible, you would have torn out
your eyes and given them to me. So, have I become your enemy
because I am speaking the truth to you? They are not interested in
you with good intentions; they want to shut you out, so that you may
be interested in them. It is good always to be interested in good
things, not only when I am present with you. My children, about
whom I am again in pain until the Messiah takes shape in you: I
wanted to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I
am confused about you!
Tell me—you who want to live under the Law—do you not listen
to the Law? It is written that Abraham had two sons: one from the
servant girl, and one from the free woman. However, the one who
was born of the servant girl was born naturally, but the one born of
the free woman was born through a promise! These two are used as
allegories: they are two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai and
gave birth to children into slavery (this is Hagar). Now, Hagar is
Mount Sinai, which is in Arabia, but this corresponds to the current
Jerusalem, because it serves with her children. However, the
Jerusalem from above is the free woman, who is our mother, because
it is written:
“Rejoice, infertile lady who does not bear children!
Fall down and shout, lady who feels no labor pains,
Because the children of the desolate woman far outnumber the
children of the one who had a husband!”
Now brothers, you are children of promise in the same way that
Isaac was. However, in the same way that the one born naturally
persecuted the one born spiritually, the same thing is happening
even today. Yet, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the
servant girl and her son; because the servant girl’s son will never
share an inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore,
brothers, we are not children of the servant girl, but of the free
woman!
The Messiah has set us completely free, so stand firm, and do
not get loaded down with the yoke of slavery again!
Look: I Paul am telling you that if you become circumcised,
the Messiah will not benefit you in any way. I testify again to

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every man who has been circumcised that he is obligated to obey
the whole Law. You who would try to be made righteous by the
Law have been dismissed from the Messiah! You have fallen from
grace! Through the Spirit, we ourselves are waiting for this
expectation of righteousness by faith. You see, in Jesus the
Messiah neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to
anything. The important thing is faith working through love.
You were running well—who prevented you from being
convinced by the truth? That persuasion did not come from the
one who called you. A small amount of yeast will leaven the
whole batch of dough. I have become convinced in the Master
about you: you will not think anything different. The one who is
causing trouble with you will bear his condemnation, whoever he
may be. Brothers, if I myself still preach circumcision, why am I
still being persecuted? If that were true, the cross has ceased to be
an obstacle. I wish those who are upsetting you would proceed to
castrate themselves!
You were called to freedom, brothers! Just do not use that
freedom as an opportunity for your body—rather, serve one
another with love. You see, every law is summed up in one
statement: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” However,
if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not
swallowed up by one another!
I am telling you—walk spiritually, and do not carry out the
desires of the body; because the body wants what is against the
Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the body. These things
are set against one another, so that you wind up doing what you do
not want to do. However, you are led by the Spirit, and not by the
Law. The body’s actions are obvious: they are prohibited sexual
practices, moral corruption, lack of restraint, idolatry, sorcery,
hostility, strife, jealousy, a hot temper, rivalry, rebellion, an
opinionated attitude, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and things
like these. I am telling you just as I told you about them earlier:
Those who do things like these will not inherit God’s kingdom!
On the other hand, the Spirit’s crop is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, restraint, and self-
control—there is no law against things like these! Now, those who

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belong to Jesus the Messiah have crucified the body with its
passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, we also will follow
the Spirit. May we never become conceited, provoke one another,
or be envious of one another!
Brothers, even if a man is overtaken in a certain sin, you who
are spiritual need to restore him with a gentle spirit. Watch out for
yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. Carry one another’s
load, and by doing so you will accomplish the Messiah’s law!
Now, if someone thinks that he is something when he is nothing,
he deceives himself. However, each person must examine his own
work—then he will have a reason to take pride in himself rather
than in someone else, because each person must bear his own
burden. The one who is taught the word needs to share all of his
goods with his teacher. Do not be deceived—God cannot be
outsmarted. A man will reap whatever he sows. Whoever sows in
his body will reap corruption from his body, and whoever sows in
the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us not become
discouraged about doing good things, because we will reap in due
time if we do not give out. So, let us do good things for all men as
we have opportunity to do so—especially to those who belong to
the household of faith.
Look at how large the letters are that I am writing to you by my
hand! Everyone who wants to impress others with their bodies—
these are the ones who are forcing you to be circumcised, just to
prevent them from being persecuted by the Messiah’s cross. And
those who are circumcised—they do not even keep the Law, yet
they want you to be circumcised, so that they can take pride in
your body. May it never be the case that I take pride in anything
except for the cross of our Master, Jesus the Messiah, through
whom the world is crucified to me, and I am to the world. Neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything—it is the
new creation! As for everyone who walks by that rule, may peace
and mercy be on them and on the Israel of God.
From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, because I carry
the branding marks of Jesus in my body.
May the grace of our Master, Jesus the Messiah, be with your
spirit, brothers. Amen!

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From the translator:

Thank you so much for reading this translation

of the book of Galatians. I hope it has been of help to
your study of God’s word. Be sure to look for other
translated New Testament books as they are finished
and published on this website.

Josh James

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