For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

See what big letters I make as I write to you with my own hand!

They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy.”

Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity,

idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions,

I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about you.

Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!

For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it.

You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified!

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!