And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.

If there is any question about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; if there is any question about our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.

For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.

In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me,

Indeed, the signs of an apostle were performed among you with great perseverance by signs and wonders and powerful deeds.

Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel –

But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!

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

Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.

So also we, when we were minors, were enslaved under the basic forces of the world.

I beg you, brothers and sisters, become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise.

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

even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! –

because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.

Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth?

But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.