Letters to the Churches

for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now is , and is in servitude with her children,

and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,

for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many are the children of the desolate--more than of her having the husband.'

And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,

but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;

but what saith the Writing? `Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'

then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.

In the freedom, then, with which Christ did make you free--stand ye, and be not held fast again by a yoke of servitude;

lo, I Paul do say to you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing;

and I testify again to every man circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law;

ye were freed from the Christ, ye who in law are declared righteous; from the grace ye fell away;

for we by the Spirit, by faith, a hope of righteousness do wait for,

for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith through love working.

Ye were running well; who did hinder you--not to obey the truth?

the obedience is not of him who is calling you!

a little leaven the whole lump doth leaven;

I have confidence in regard to you in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded; and he who is troubling you shall bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

And I, brethren, if uncircumcision I yet preach, why yet am I persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away;

O that even they would cut themselves off who are unsettling you!

For ye--to freedom ye were called, brethren, only not the freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through the love serve ye one another,

for all the law in one word is fulfilled--in this: `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;'

and if one another ye do bite and devour, see--that ye may not by one another be consumed.

And I say: In the Spirit walk ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete;

for the flesh doth desire contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the flesh, and these are opposed one to another, that the things that ye may will--these ye may not do;

and if by the Spirit ye are led, ye are not under law.