1I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: 2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. 3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. 5But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
6For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
9Be diligent to come to me soon, 10for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15Beware of him, for he greatly opposed our words.
16At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. 21Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.
22The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
Paul wrote this letter to “the churches of Galatia” (cf. Gal 3:1). In an ethno-geographical sense, “Galatia” referred to the regions of north-central Anatolia (modern Turkey) largely inhabited by Celts. Acts 18:23 mentions that Paul ministered in “the Galatian region and Phrygia,” and 16:6 contrasts “the Phrygian and Galatian region” with Asia. Many scholars have used these texts to argue that the epistle was written to converts in the northern, ethnic territories (the “North Galatian” theory). This view must fit a side-trip through “North Galatia” between the “Jerusalem Council” in A.D. 49 (Acts 15) and Paul’s arrival in Corinth around A.D. 50/51 (Acts 18). On the other hand, “Galatia” in a political sense referred to a large Roman province which included the south-central cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Acts 13-14 describes the church planting of Paul and Barnabas in these specific towns.
Proponents of the “South Galatian” theory point out that the letter’s recipients seem to have been acquainted with Barnabas (Gal 2:1-13), who separated from Paul in Acts 15 (though see 1 Cor 9:6). Paul himself asserts that he first came to Galatia because of a physical infirmity (Gal 4:13), perhaps fitting a “southern” destination more than a “northern” one. Moreover, Paul himself consistently used the political designation of Galatia, rather than the ethnic area (Rom 15:26; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Cor 1:1, 8:1, 9:2; Gal 1:21; cf. 1 Pet 1:1; 2 Tim 4:10). “North Galatian” supporters respond that “Galatia”/“Galatians” more naturally referred to the ethno-geographic area, and Acts often refers to similar regions (Phrygia, Pisidia, Pamphylia, and Mysia). Although Barnabas is discussed in Galatians 2, he is not explicitly associated with the founding of the churches.
“North Galatian” adherents often date the letter in the mid to late 50s, approaching the composition of Romans with its similar (yet more developed) themes. Some “South Galatian” theorists date the composition to the early 50s (cf. Gal 4:13 and Acts 16:1), but many favor a date as early as 47-49, just prior to the “Jerusalem Council.” Timothy, whom Paul encounters in Lystra in Acts 16:1, is not mentioned in the epistle. The northern view was the general consensus through the late nineteenth century, but the “South” view has justly gained considerable ground since then. Galatians does not cite the “Jerusalem Council” rejection of the necessity of circumcision, an omission suiting an early, “South” theory. On the other hand, Paul’s emphasis in Galatians was upon the divine origin of his message and commission. All views must decide which Acts material, if any, corresponds to the Jerusalem visit in Galatians 2:1-10 with its charge to remember the poor (cf. 1 Cor 16:1-4). In Acts 20:4, the entourage bearing the collection toward Jerusalem included representatives from southern Galatia, but none from the north.
On the whole, the arguments for the “North” and “South” hypotheses are fairly balanced, and dogmatism is unwarranted.