Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant.<n id="1" /> Scripture<n id="2" /> does not say, &#8220;and to the descendants<sc>,&#8221;sc><n id="3" /> referring to many, but &#8220;<b><i>and to your descendanti>b><sc>,&#8221;sc><n id="4" /> referring to one, who is Christ.

Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God?<n id="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.<n id="2" />

not that there really is another gospel,<n id="1" /> but<n id="2" /> there are some who are disturbing you and wanting<n id="3" /> to distort the gospel of Christ.

I<n id="1" /> was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation,<n id="2" /> and was<n id="3" /> extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.<n id="4" />

But when the one<n id="1" /> who set me apart from birth<n id="2" /> and called me by his grace was pleased

Until<n id="1" /> certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this<n id="2" /> and separated himself<n id="3" /> because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.<n id="4" />

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming<n id="1" /> a curse for us (because it is written, &#8220;<b><i>Cursed is everyone who hangs on a treei>b>&#8221;)<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Why then was the law given?<n id="1" /> It was added<n id="2" /> because of transgressions,<n id="3" /> until the arrival of the descendant<n id="4" /> to whom the promise had been made. It was administered<n id="5" /> through angels by an intermediary.<n id="6" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;<n id="1" /> only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh,<n id="2" /> but through love serve one another.<n id="3" />

envying,<n id="1" /> murder,<n id="2" /> drunkenness, carousing,<n id="3" /> and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!p>

Let each one examine<n id="1" /> his own work. Then he can take pride<n id="2" /> in himself and not compare himself with<n id="3" /> someone else.

So<n id="1" /> they glorified God because of me.<n id="2" />p>

But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas<n id="1" /> in front of them all, &#8220;If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force<n id="2" /> the Gentiles to live like Jews?&#8221;p>

For all who<n id="1" /> rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, &#8220;<i><b>Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the lawb>.i>&#8221;<n id="2" />

What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God,<n id="1" /> so as to invalidate the promise.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.<n id="1" />

A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!<n id="1" />

I wish those agitators<n id="1" /> would go so far as to<n id="2" /> castrate themselves!<n id="3" />p>

For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires<n id="1" /> that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to<n id="2" /> each other, so that you cannot do what you want.

For each one will carry<n id="1" /> his own load.p>