1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. (Nu 21:9; 1Co 1:23)2Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (Ac 15:8; Ro 10:17; Ga 3:14; Eph 1:13; Heb 6:4)3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by[1] the flesh? (Ga 4:9; Php 1:6)4Did you suffer[2] so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? (1Co 15:2; Heb 10:35; 2Jo 1:8)5Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— (1Co 12:10; Ga 3:2)6just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? (Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3; Ro 4:9; Ro 4:21)7Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. (Lu 19:9; Ga 3:9)8And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify[3] the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” (Ge 12:3; Ro 3:30)9So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (De 27:26; Jer 11:3; Eze 18:4; Mt 5:19; Ro 4:15; Ga 5:4)11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”[4] (Hab 2:4; Ro 1:17; Ga 2:16; Heb 10:38)12But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” (Le 18:5; Ro 10:5)13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (De 21:23; Ac 5:30; Ga 4:5; 2Pe 2:1; Re 22:3)14so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit[5] through faith. (Isa 32:15; Isa 44:3; Joe 2:28; Joh 7:39; Ac 2:33; Ro 4:9; Ro 4:16; Ga 3:2; Ga 3:28; Eph 1:13)
The Law and the Promise
15To give a human example, brothers:[6] even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. (Ro 3:5; Heb 9:17)16Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. (Ge 12:7; Lu 1:55; Ac 3:25; Ac 13:32; Ro 4:13; Ro 4:16)17This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. (Ge 15:13; Ex 12:40; Ac 7:6; Ro 4:14)18For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. (Heb 6:13)19Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. (Ex 20:19; Ex 20:21; De 5:5; De 5:22; De 5:27; De 5:31; Ac 7:38; Ac 7:53; Ro 4:15; Ga 3:16; Heb 2:2)20Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. (Ro 3:30; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 6:17; Heb 8:6; Heb 9:15; Heb 12:24)21Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. (Ga 2:21)22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Ac 10:43; Ro 3:9; Ro 4:16; Ro 11:32)23Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. (1Pe 1:5)24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. (Mt 5:17; Ro 10:4; 1Co 4:15; Ga 2:16; Ga 3:11; Col 2:17; Heb 9:9)25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Joh 1:12; Ro 8:14; Ga 4:5)27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Ac 8:16; Ro 6:3; Ro 13:14)28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[7] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Ro 3:30; 1Co 11:11; 1Co 12:13; Ga 3:14; Ga 5:6; Ga 6:15)29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Ro 8:17; Ro 9:7; 1Co 3:23; Ga 4:1; Ga 4:7; Ga 4:28; Eph 3:6; 2Ti 1:1; Tit 1:2; Heb 9:15)
Galatians 3
New International Version
Faith or works of the law
1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.2I would like to learn just one thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?3Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[1]4Have you experienced[2] so much in vain – if it really was in vain?5So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?6So also Abraham ‘believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ (Ge 15:6)7Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.8Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ (Ge 12:3; Ge 18:18; Ge 22:18)9So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.10For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ (De 27:26)11Clearly no-one who relies on the law is justified before God, because ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ (Hab 2:4)12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’ (Le 18:5)13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’ (De 21:23)14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The law and the promise
15Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no-one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds’, meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed’, meaning one person, who is Christ. (Ge 12:7; Ge 13:15; Ge 24:7)17What I mean is this: the law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.19Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.20A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.22But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Children of God
23Before the coming of this faith,[3] we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.24So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.25Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.26So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,27for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.28There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.