Who were the Galatians that Paul wrote to?
Paul wrote to the little churches in the southern half of Galatia, in central Asia Minor, present-day Turkey. He had planted these congregations himself on his first missionary journey, visiting cities such as Antioch of Pisidia, Derbe, and Lystra. They were being troubled by Judaizers from Jerusalem who insisted on Law-keeping and circumcision for salvation.
Les explains that the Galatians were not a single city but the little churches in the southern half of Galatia, which was the central part of what is today Turkey. Paul had no doubt planted these churches himself through his first missionary journey, when he visited cities like Antioch of Pisidia, Derbe, and Lystra; between Derbe and Lystra he also had the stoning episode. These congregations were now being bombarded by Judaizers, the Jewish element from Jerusalem, whether Orthodox rejecters of Jesus of Nazareth or Judaizers who had embraced Christ as Messiah. Both were hung up on keeping the Law and practicing circumcision for salvation, telling the Galatians they could not be saved by Paul's message alone.