10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

11I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.12The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

14See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.15And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?16Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.17Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?18I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?

19Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.21I am afraid that when I come again, my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of their acts of impurity, sexual immorality, and debauchery.

Examine Yourselves

1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.4For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.

5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?6And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.

7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not that we will appear to have stood the test, but that you will do what is right, even if we appear to have failed.8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.9In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Benediction and Farewell

11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.12Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13All the saints send you greetings.

14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Paul’s Greeting to the Galatians

1Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—2and all the brothers with me, To the churches of Galatia:3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,4who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

6I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!9As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!

Paul Preaches the Gospel

10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.15But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

18Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.20I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.21Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.22I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.23They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”24And they glorified God because of me.

The Council at Jerusalem

1Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.2I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.3Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.4This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.5We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.6But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism —those leaders added nothing to me.7On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.8For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.