Galatians is book 9 of the 27 books of the New Testament and belongs to the Paul's Letters section. See how it fits with the rest in our guide to all 66 books of the Bible.
Quick facts
- Section
- New Testament · Paul's Letters
- Genre
- Letter (epistle): urgent argument
- Author (traditional)
- The apostle Paul (1:1; 6:11).
- Other views on authorship
- Paul's authorship is universally accepted; Galatians is one of the undisputed letters.
- Date (traditional)
- About AD 48–49, before the Jerusalem council, or about AD 53–55 on a later reckoning.
- Other views on dating
- Dates range from about AD 48 to 57, depending on whether the readers lived in southern or northern Galatia.
- Chapters
- 6
- Verses
- 149
- Reading time
- About 15 minutes (3,082 words in the BSB)
What is Galatians about?
Paul had preached in Galatia, a Roman region in what is now central Turkey, and churches had formed among Gentiles. After he left, other teachers arrived saying that faith in Jesus was not enough: to be true children of Abraham, the men must be circumcised and everyone must follow the Jewish law. Galatians is Paul's fiery response — he skips his usual thanksgiving and goes straight to the problem.
In chapters 1–2 Paul tells his own story: how he received the gospel from the risen Christ, how the Jerusalem leaders accepted his mission, and how he publicly confronted Peter at Antioch for withdrawing from table fellowship with Gentiles. In chapters 3–4 he argues from Scripture that Abraham was counted righteous by faith long before the law, and that the law was a temporary guardian until Christ came.
Chapters 5–6 show that freedom is not permission to do as you please. Believers are to serve one another in love, walk by the Spirit, bear one another's burdens and do good to all. Paul closes with a few lines in his own large handwriting, boasting only in the cross.
Outline of Galatians
| ChaptersCh. | Section |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Paul's gospel and authority No other gospel; Paul's call, his meeting with the Jerusalem leaders, and the clash with Peter at Antioch. |
| 3–4 | Faith, law and promise Abraham's faith, the purpose of the law, adoption as God's children, and the allegory of Hagar and Sarah. |
| 5–6 | Living in freedom Freedom for love, the fruit of the Spirit, bearing burdens, and a final word about the cross. |
Key themes
- Justification by faith. No one is made right with God by works of the law, but through faith in Christ. Paul treats this as the heart of the gospel, not a side issue.
- Freedom in Christ. Christ sets believers free from slavery to the law's demands and to sin. That freedom must be guarded and not surrendered.
- One family. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female in terms of standing before God — all are Abraham's offspring.
- The fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace and the rest grow from the Spirit's work, in contrast to the selfish works of the flesh.
Key people and places
- Paul — Author and founder of the Galatian churches.
- Peter (Cephas) — Confronted by Paul at Antioch.
- James — Brother of Jesus and leader in Jerusalem.
- Barnabas — Paul's partner, briefly swayed at Antioch.
- Abraham — The model of righteousness by faith.
- Sarah and Hagar — Used by Paul as a picture of freedom and slavery.
Places: Galatia, Jerusalem, Antioch, Arabia, Damascus.
Key verses in Galatians
Quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
“know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.”
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
How Galatians fits the big story
Galatians explains how God's promise to Abraham in Genesis reaches all nations. The law given through Moses was good but temporary, guiding Israel until the promised offspring came. Now, through Christ, Gentiles share Abraham's blessing by faith. The letter connects closely with Acts 15, where the church settled the same question, and with Romans, which develops its argument more calmly. Its call to walk by the Spirit leads naturally into Ephesians, which celebrates the united church.
How to read Galatians
At 2 chapters a day you can read Galatians in 3 days. Read the whole letter in one sitting — it takes about twenty minutes — to feel Paul's urgency. Then compare Galatians 3 with Romans 4 to see two treatments of Abraham.