Galatians 6:11-18
New Catholic Bible
Conclusion[a]
11 The Cross of Christ, Our True Boast. Observe what large letters I make when I am writing to you in my own handwriting. 12 It is those who want to gain human approval who are trying to compel you to be circumcised, their sole purpose being to escape persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the Law. They want you to be circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world is crucified to me and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is important, but only a new creation.
16 Blessing and a Plea. May peace and mercy be given to all who follow this rule, and to the Israel of God.[b]
17 In the future, let no one make trouble for me, for I bear the marks of Jesus branded on my body.
18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Galatians 6:11 Paul himself underlines the importance of the Letter (v. 11) and for one last time situates the problem of the Galatians before the mystery of the cross. There is an old world, that of circumcisions and human successes, and a new world, in which God calls the new Israel, i.e., all Christians, true children of Abraham. Christians belong to this world. For them, the cross is something to be shared. They agree to suffer for Christ and with him. It involves more suffering than being circumcised, but they have become “new” people (2 Cor 5:17), delivered from the world, i.e., sin. There is no other way of salvation except the cross of Christ, nor any other assurance before God. Paul knows this from experience, for he bears in his body the traces of the blows received in the exercise of his missionary work (2 Cor 6:5; 11:23-27).
- Galatians 6:16 The Israel of God: i.e., the Church (see Rom 9:6f) as opposed to Israel according to the flesh (see 1 Cor 10:18).
