So also we, when we were minors, ¹  were enslaved under the basic forces ²  of the world.

But from those who were influential ¹  (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people ² ) – those influential leaders ³  added ⁴  nothing to my message. ⁵ 

For all of you who ¹  were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

You were running well; who prevented you from obeying ¹  the truth?

to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. ¹ 

Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. ¹ 

Now before faith ¹  came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners ²  until the coming faith would be revealed.

nor did I go up to Jerusalem ¹  to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, ²  and then returned to Damascus.

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 

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ¹  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ²  but through love serve one another. ³ 

They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news ¹  of the faith he once tried to destroy.”

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. ¹  Scripture ²  does not say, “and to the descendants,” ³  referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” ⁴  referring to one, who is Christ.

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, ¹  or of God? Or am I trying to please people? ²  If I were still trying to please ³  people, ⁴  I would not be a slave ⁵  of Christ!

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

Where then is your sense of happiness ¹  now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!

But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas ¹  in front of them all, “If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force ²  the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

But I was personally ¹  unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.

I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, ¹  because I am perplexed about you.

But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages ¹  sin? Absolutely not!

So ¹  they glorified God because of me. ²