in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, ¹  so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

But the scripture imprisoned ¹  everything and everyone ²  under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness ³  of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.

Now ¹  I want you to know, brothers and sisters, ²  that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ³ 

Are you so foolish? Although you began ¹  with ²  the Spirit, are you now trying to finish ³  by human effort? ⁴ 

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, ¹ 

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law? ¹ 

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

For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness.

However, if you continually bite and devour one another, ¹  beware that you are not consumed ²  by one another.

But I say, live ¹  by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. ² 

Now those who belong to Christ ¹  have crucified the flesh ²  with its passions ³  and desires.

Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

I have been crucified with Christ, ¹  and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So ²  the life I now live in the body, ³  I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, ⁴  who loved me and gave himself for me.

As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell! ¹ 

For freedom ¹  Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke ²  of slavery.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, ¹  saying, “All the nations ²  will be blessed in you.” ³ 

Brothers and sisters, ¹  I offer an example from everyday life: ²  When a covenant ³  has been ratified, ⁴  even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.

Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? ¹  Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. ² 

and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. ¹  Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, ²  as though I were Christ Jesus himself! ³ 

Those who want to make a good showing in external matters ¹  are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so ²  only to avoid being persecuted ³  for the cross of Christ.