kedness. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon 28 me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? 29 who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of 30 the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our 31 Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the 32 Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: and through a 33 window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory :

revelations with which God had favored him.

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5

Of certain peculiar I WILL come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether 2 in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth ;) such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I 3 cannot tell: God knoweth ;) how that he was caught up into paradise, 4 and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth; but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And 7 lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this 8 thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he 9 said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I 10 take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to 11 have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle 12 were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, 13 except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

Of his purpose yet to visit them, and to punish the refractory among them.

14

BEHOLD, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I 15 will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. But be it so.

I did not burden 16

you nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make 17 a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, 18 and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

AGAIN think ye, that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before 19 God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and 20 that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among 21 you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, which they have committed.

THIS is the third time I am coming to you: in the mouth of two 13 or three witnesses shall every word be established. I told you before, 2 and foretell you, (as if I were present, the second time, and being absent now,) I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: since ye seek a proof of 3 Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the 4 power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves, whether ye be 5 in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust 6 that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God 7 that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. For we can 8 do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when 9 we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present 10 I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

Concluding prayer

FINALLY, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good 11 and benediction. comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss: 12 All the saints salute you. 'The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and 13 the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE

GALATIANS.

PAUL, an Apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, 1 and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) and all the breth- 2 ren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: grace be to you 3 and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,' who 4 gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory 5 for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul chides the Galatians for departing from the faith.

:

8

I MARVEL that ye are so soon removed from him 6 that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel which is not another; but there be some that 7 trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed! As we said before, so I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed! For do I now persuade men, or 10 God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

say

The gospel as

preached by him,

9

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was 11 preached of me is not after man: for I neither received 12 he had received from it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation He had always for- of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation 13

Christ himself.

bidden the observation of legal

was also the rule

Only Peter had

been reproved for an improper compliance with the prejudices of Jewish Christians.

2

3

4

5

in time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measceremonies, which ure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it; and 14 of the other Apostles. profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, 15 who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I 16 might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which 17 were apostles before me but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see 18 Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I 19 none, save James the Lord's brother. (Now the things which I write 20 unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.) Afterwards I came into the 21 regions of Syria and Cilicia; and was unknown by face unto the 22 churches of Judea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, That 23 'he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once 'he destroyed;' and they glorified God in me. Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, (but privately to them which were of reputation,) lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But of those, who seemed to be somewhat-- 6 whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me--God accepteth no man's person for they who seemed to be somewhat, in conference added nothing to me but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the 7 uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, 9 perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision, only they would that we should remem- 10 ber the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. But when Peter 11 was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For, before that certain came from James, he did eat with the 12 Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dis- 13 sembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not 14 uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and "not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the "Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 15 ''knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the 16 'faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, 17 'while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I 18 'build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

8

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 19 'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ 20 liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the 'faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do 21 'not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.'

FAITH proved

of Justification.

had respect to

before the law was given.

O FOOLISH Galatians! who hath bewitched you, 3 to be the only method that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes JeThe promise which sus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among Christ, and salvation you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye 2 in him, was made the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, 3 are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things 4 in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the 5 Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it 6 was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they 7 which are of faith, the, same are the children of Abraham. And the 8 scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed." So then they which be of faith are blessed with faith- 9 ful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under 10 the curse for it is written," Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." But 11 that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, "The just shall live by faith ;" and the law is not of faith: but, “The 12 man that doeth them shall live in them." Christ hath redeemed us from 13 the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: (for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree;") that the blessing of 14 Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I 15 speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto. Now to 16 Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, " And to seeds," as of many; but as of one," And to thy seed," which is Christ. And this I say, That the covenant that was confirmed before of God in 17 Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the in- 18 heritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

The design of the

WHEREFORE then serveth the law? It was added be- 19 Levitical law;- cause of transgressions, till the seed should come to to point out Christ, whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by

and bring us to him,

that by faith we might be adopted into the family of God.

angels in the hand of a mediator. Now, a mediator is 20 not a mediator of one; but God is one. Is the law 21 then against the promises of God? God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all 22 under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, 23 shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore 24 the law was our school-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under 25 a school-master. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ 26 Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put 27 on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor 28

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free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to 29 the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth 4 nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and 2 governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we 3 were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but 4 when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ' to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father! Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, 10 and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in 11

vain.

Paul deplores the error of the Galatians, and affection

to repent.

7

8

9

BRETHREN, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye 12' are. Ye have not injured me at all. Ye know how 13 ately exhorts them through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my 14 flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I 15 bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Am I therefore become 16 your enemy because I tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but 17 not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But 18 it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I travail in 19 birth again, until Christ be formed in you, 'I desire to be present with 20 you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

The history of Abraham's sons allegorized, to illustrate the fact,

TELL me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye 21 not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had 22 two sons; the one by a bond-maid, the other by a freethat believers, (who woman. But he who was of the bond-woman, was born 23 are compared to Isaac) are not under after the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promthe law. ise. Which things are an allegory. For these are the 24 two covenants: the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar, '(for this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,) and 25 answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us 26 all. For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not! break 27 forth and cry, thou that travailest not! for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath a husband." Now we, brethren, as Isaac 28 was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after 29 the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? "Cast out the bond-woman and 30 her son for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman." So then, brethren, we are not children of the 31

the sinner's ac

bond-woman, but of the free. The merits of Christ STAND fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ 5 the only ground of hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the ceptance. yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if 2 ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to 3 every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.