I am surprised that you are being so quickly turned away from him whose word came to you in the grace of Christ, to good news of a different sort;

For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus.

Then after three years I came up to Jerusalem to examine Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

Only it came to their ears that he who at one time was cruel to us is now preaching the faith which before had been attacked by him;

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned.

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

I do not set at nought the grace of God; for if righteousness came by the law, truly Christ hath died in vain.

Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.

Why then the law? It was added for the sake of transgressions, until the seed came to whom the promise was made, ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith.

but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

Now, however, since you have come to know [the true] God [through personal experience], or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elemental principles [of religions and philosophies], to which you want to be enslaved all over again?

Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now].

But you are aware [I am sure] that when I first came preaching the Gospel [message] to you, I had a physical handicap.

This persuasion came not of him that calleth you.

Remember, Brothers, to you the Call came to give you freedom. Only do not make your freedom an opportunity for self-indulgence, but serve one another in a loving spirit.