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Childrens Book of Galatians
Chapters 1 - 3
I have written this for children, based solely on the Word of God, but condensed for them... and used Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary for clarification of some words. My added comments are in italics, and there is a Memory Verse at the end.
Chapter 1
Paul, an apostle (not by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised him (Jesus) from the dead), to the churches of Galatia.
Grace and peace to you from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us (when we are saved by faith) from this present evil world, (because when we are saved, our sins are forgiven us and we have a new life in Christ following him day by day led by the Spirit out of daily temptations of this evil world) according to the will of God our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.
I am amazed that you, who have been called into the grace of Christ, are so soon moving away to another gospel, which is not another (which is not truth). There are some that would would turn you from the truth of the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, would preach any other gospel to you except that which we have preached to you, let him be cursed. I say again, if any man preaches any other gospel to you that that which you have received (been taught by me), let him be cursed.
Do I desire to please men? if I pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ. The gospel which I preached is not from men, but by the Lord Jesus Christ. You have heard of my life in the time past, how I greatly persecuted the church of God, and was very eager to hold to the traditions of my fathers. But in God's timing, he called me by his grace, so I might preach Christ to the heathen (Gentiles) and immediately I did not speak with men, and I did not go to Jerusalem to speak to the other apostles. But I went into Arabia, and then went to Damascus, and three years later I went to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him 15 days. But I saw no other apostle except James, the Lord's brother. These things I write to you, I do not lie.
Then I came to Syria and Cilicia. They did not know my face, but they had heard that I, who was now preaching the faith, in past times was destroying (by persecuting the Christians before the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul on the Damascus Road) And they glorified God in me.
Memory Verse: Galatians 1:9 "...if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be cursed."
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Chapter 2
After 14 years I went to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus. And I taught the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did it privately to those who were leaders.
When they saw that it was committed to me to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, as Peter preaches the gospel to the Jews, (for he (the Lord Jesus) that made Peter to be the apostle to the Jews, also was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.
and when James, Peter and John, who were the leaders (of the apostles) understood the grace that was given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles, and they should go to the Jews. It was suggested that we remember the poor, which I desired to do.
But I spoke against Peter because he was to be blamed. When he first came to Antioch, he ate with the Gentiles, but when some came from Jerusalem, he separated himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of the Jews. And others went with him, so that Barnabas was also following the example of Peter.
When I saw that they did not behave according to the truth of the gospel (that there is no difference, all are one in Christ Jesus) I said to Peter in front of all of them, ".......a man is not justified by the works of the law, (the law of Moses) but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we have believed in Jesus Christ, so we are justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. (salvation is by grace (of God) through faith (in Christ as our Saviour) , not by works)
I through the law am dead to the law, ( Christians are free from the law because of the atoning death of Christ on the cross, because he was the perfect sacrifice for sin) so that I might live unto God.
I am crucified (by faith) with Christ, but I live, yet it is not I that lives but Christ that lives in me, and the life that I now live in my body, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Memory Verse: Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ, but I live, yet it is not I that lives but Christ that lives in me, and the life that I now live in my body, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
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Chapter 3 (Note: the word "justified" and the term "the just" occurs quite often in this chapter.. "justified" means that all who believe on the Lord Jesus are declared righteous (holy in heart) by God.
O foolish Galatians, who has turned you from the truth to the law, so you should not obey the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, crucified, which has been taught to you? Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law? or by the hearing of faith? are you so foolish?
He that ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you (this is referring to God) does he do it by the works of the law? (the law of Moses) or by the hearing of faith. Even as Abraham believed God, and he was found righteous. They which are of faith, they are the children of Abraham.
In the scriptures, we see that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, and preached the gospel to Abraham, saying In you shall all nations be blessed.
No man is justified by the law in the sight of God, for the just shall live by faith. The law is not of faith. Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law because he was made a curse for us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Now the promises were made to Abraham and his seed (descendant from Isaac to Christ through the line of Mary).
Is the law against the promises of God? God forbid, the scripture says that all have sinned, so that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Before faith came, we were under the law, because faith was to be revealed afterwards (when the Lord Jesus came)
So the law was like a teacher, to bring us to Christ so that we might be justified (made righteous) by faith. ..after faith has come, we are no longer under the law.
You are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither man nor woman, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (that means that there is no difference with believers, we are all equal as children of God)
And if you are Christ's then you are of the seed of Abraham, and you are an heir (you receive God's blessings through faith) according to the promise. (that God made to Abraham)
Memory Verse: "There is neither Jew not Gentile, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither man nor woman, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
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V. Gross/Jan'07