Paraphrased
Continued from page 1

Oh, foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you and caused you not to obey the truth, when Jesus Christ has been proclaimed and revealed the crucified Christ before your very eyes? All I want to know is, did you receive the Holy Spirit by your good works and obedience to the law or by the message of faith? Are you so foolish to believe a lie? After believing by faith now you've become righteous because in your flesh you attempt to obey the laws? Have you suffered evil for nothing and lost your faith? Does he that ministered the spirit and worked among you do it by works of the law or by faith? 3:1-5

Even as Abraham believed God's promise his faith was reckoned as righteousness. Know then that they who are of faith the same are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing God would justify the Gentiles through faith, told to Abraham, before Jesus was born, "In thee will all nations be blessed". So then those who believe by faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 3:6-9

Those who believe they can be saved by doing good works, in obedience to the law, are also under the curse of the law, for it is written, "cursed is everyone who doesn't obey what is written in the book of the law and do them." (Duet.27:26) However, no man is justified by the law in God's sight, which is evident because, "The just will live by faith". The law isn't of faith and the man that does them will live (under) them. 3:1-12

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, he became the curse for us, for it is written in the law, "Cursed is everyone that hangs from a tree", so that the blessing of Abraham would be available to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ and we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. Beloved in Christ, speaking in human analogy or reasoning as man would, even though it is a man's covenant and authoritative, it cannot be brought to nothing. The promises that were made to Abraham and his seed, not plural, seeds, but one (descendant), cannot be undone with an argument that it's a human covenant and temporary, even a man's covenant remains uncancelled and without additions, just as the promise to Abraham remains valid, and to your seed which is in Christ. 3:13-16

So I say this covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, the law that was 430 years after (Abraham's promise) cannot annul or make the promise (of Christ's coming) of no effect. God gave the inheritance to Abraham by promise and if it is inheritance by the law then it's not a promise. 3:17-18

Why serve the law? It was ADDED because of transgressions, till Jesus should come, to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hands of a mediator. The mediator doesn't belong to just one, God is one and (it takes two parties to need a mediator). Is the law contrary to the promise of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law capable of giving life, then righteousness (justification) would have been by the law. The scripture has concluded ALL are under sin, Romans 3:9-20, so the promise, by faith in Jesus Christ, can be given to those who believe [by faith]. Before faith came we were kept under the law, shut up for the faith which afterward would be revealed. 3:19-23

So the law was our teacher to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 3:24

But after faith is come we are no longer under the [law]. For you are ALL sons of God by faith in [salvation] by Christ Jesus. All of you that have been baptized unto Christ have put on Christ. There is no Jew, Greek, bond, free, male, female but ALL are ONE in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ's, then [like Christ] you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. 3:25-29

An heir, even if he's lord of all is no different than a servant's babe, being under tutors and governors till the appointed time of the father. When we were children we were in bondage under the elements of the world [simplified translation: false religions; legalities, philosophies, etc.]. And when the time came, God sent forth his Son, born like us, with a mother like us, and under the law like us. To redeem us who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are a sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father". Romans 8:15. So you are no longer a servant but a son, and, as such, an heir of God, through Christ. 4:1-7

When you didn't know God you served those who by nature are not gods. But now that you've known god, or rather, are known by Him, how can you go back to the weak and beggarly [elementary - childlike beliefs that are false] desiring again to be in bondage? You observe days, months, times and years [legal and religious rituals]. I'm afraid concerning you, that after all my labor you may return to old religious beliefs and traditions. 4:8-11

Beloved, I beseech you, be free of bondage like me, I became a Gentile like you; you haven't injured me at all. Remembering when I first preached the gospel to you, through infirmity of the flesh (was ill) and during my illness, you weren't indifferent, nor rejected my teaching but received me like an angel from God, with great respect and reverence, even higher, as Christ Jesus. Where is that attitude now? I witnessed for myself that you would have plucked out your own eyes, if possible, and given them to me. Am I now considered your enemy for telling you the truth? They are zealously courting you to win you over but not to honor you; they would exclude you from teachers with more wisdom than theirs, isolating you, causing you to rely solely on them. There is nothing wrong with being zealously sought after for a good cause whether or not I'm present with you. 4:12-18

My little children, of whom I'm distressed and labouring for again, till you are able to take meat. I wish to be present with you, rather than writing a letter, and speak more affectionately to your face. I'm puzzled how to deal with you, how to reach your heart. Tell me, those of you that desire to be under the law, do you understand that law? It's written that Abraham had 2 sons, one by a bondsmaid and one by a free woman. The son of the bonds woman was born after the flesh, the son of the free woman was born by the promise. These things are symbolic narrations, these are the 2 covenants, 1) from Hagar, from Mt Sinai, bearing children for bondage. Hagar's name resembles Sinai in Arabic and answers to the [Jewish race] and is in bondage with her children. But [the heavenly] Jerusalem which is above is free and the mother of all. For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry you that don't travail; for the desolate have many more children than she who has a husband". Isaiah 54:1. 4:19-27