Galatians 3

1 O thoughtless Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been plainly set forth crucified?

You [fellow believers who live in] Galatia are very foolish! (Someone must have put an evil spell on you!/Did someone put an evil spell on you?) [RHQ] I clearly explained to you [SYN] [what] Jesus Christ [accomplished when] he was crucified {he died on the cross}.

2 This only I wish to learn of you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of law, or by the hearing of faith?

[So], I want you to tell me one thing: [Do you think that] it was because you obeyed the laws God gave Moses that you received the [Holy] Spirit? [Do you not know that] [RHQ] it was because [when you] heard [the good message concerning Christ, you] trusted in him?

3 Are you so thoughtless? After having begun in Spirit, do you make an end in flesh?

(You are acting so foolishly/Why are you being so foolish?) [RHQ]! You first [became Christians] as a result of God’s Spirit [enabling you]. So, (you should not now think that it is by what you yourselves do that you will continue [to grow spiritually]/do you now think it is by your own human efforts that you will continue [to grow spiritually?]!) [RHQ]

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain? if, indeed, it be in vain.

Keep in mind that [if what God has done for you was because of your obeying the laws that God gave to Moses and] not because of trusting in Christ, when others caused you to suffer, you suffered many things needlessly! [RHQ] [I certainly hope that you did not suffer like that] needlessly.

5 He that supplies to you the Spirit, and works mighty deeds among you, does he this by works of law or by the hearing of faith?

[When God now] generously gives to you his Spirit and performs miracles among you, [do you think that it is] [RHQ] because you obey the laws [that God gave to Moses? Surely you know that] it is because when you heard [the good message about Christ], you trusted in him [RHQ]!

6 even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

[What you have experienced is] as [Moses wrote in the Scriptures about] Abraham. [He wrote that Abraham] trusted God, and as a result, he was considered as being righteous {[God] erased the record of his sins}.

7 Know, therefore, that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham.

You must realize, therefore, that it is those who trust [in what Christ has done who] are [like] Abraham’s descendants [MET] [because they trust in God as Abraham did].

8 For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed.

Furthermore, God planned beforehand that it was [when] non-Jews trusted [him] that he would erase the record of their sins. [Moses wrote in] the Scriptures [PRS] this good message that God told Abraham: “Because of [what] you [did], I will bless [people in] [MTY] all nations.”

9 So, then, those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

So, [we can conclude that] it is those who trust [in what Christ has done] whom [God] blesses. That includes [all non-Jews and Jews who trust him], along with Abraham, the one who trusted him [long ago].

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them.

That is, God will eternally punish all those who [mistakenly] think [that God will erase the record of their sins] as a result of their [obeying] the laws [that God gave to Moses]. What is written in the Scriptures is that [God] will eternally punish everyone who does not continuously and completely obey all the laws [that Moses wrote].

11 But that no one is justified by law in the sight of God, is evident: for the just by faith shall live.

But God has declared that if he erases the record of anyone’s sins, it will not be as a result of their obeying the laws God gave Moses. [This is evident because the Scriptures say], “Every person whose record of sins God erases because that person trusts God will live [spiritually].”

12 The law, indeed, is not of faith; but he that does these things shall live by them.

But [when God gave] his laws [to the Jews, he did] not [say that a person must] trust [him]. Instead, [God said that] it is those who obey [all God’s laws, continuously and completely], who will live.

13 Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: )

Even though we humans have not continuously and completely obeyed God’s laws, Christ rescued us from [God] punishing us eternally. Christ rescued us by his being [the one God condemned] instead of God condemning us. What is written {[someone/Moses] wrote} [in the Scriptures] shows that this is true. It is written {[He] wrote}, “[God] has cursed anyone [whom people have executed for his crimes and whose body they] have hung on a tree.”

14 in order that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith.

Jesus Christ rescued us in order that as a result of what he [has done, God might bless the non-Jews, in a way similar to the way] God blessed Abraham. He also desired that as a result of our trusting [Christ], we [all] might receive the Spirit [whom God] promised to [give to] us.

15 Brethren, I speak of things common among men: No one sets a covenant aside, or enjoins any thing additional after it is confirmed, though it be a man’s covenant.

My fellow believers, I will now [illustrate] by referring to human [relationships. After an agreement is confirmed by two people] {[two people have signed] an agreement}, no one can reject it or add to it.

16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring; he does not say: And to offsprings, as if he spoke of many; but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ.

[God] declared to Abraham and his descendant that he was promising [to give blessings to Abraham]. [The words that God spoke were not “and your] descendants.” [He was not] referring to many persons. Instead, he was referring to one person, who is Christ, [because the words that God spoke were], “and your descendant.”

17 And this I affirm, that the covenant which had been before confirmed by God with respect to Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, could not annul so as to make the promise of no effect.

This is what I am saying: [Since God] gave the laws [to the Jews] 430 years after [he declared to Abraham what he was promising to do for Abraham], those laws do not cancel that agreement [with] Abraham that God himself had previously agreed about [PRS].

18 For if the inheritance be by law, it is no longer by promise: but God bestowed it on Abraham by promise.

Remember that if it is because [we obey God’s] laws [that he gives to us] what [he has] promised [to give to us], then it is not [just] because he [has] promised [that he would give those things to us]. God freely gave to Abraham [what he had promised to give to him, just] because [God had] promised [that he would give it to him. Similarly, it is not because we obey God’s laws that God gives to us what he has promised to give to us].

19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added on account of transgressions, (till the offspring should come, to whom the promise was made, ) having been appointed through the service of angels, in the hand of a mediator.

So, [if someone should ask], “Why [did God later give] his laws [to Moses?” I would reply that] it was in order that [people might realize] how sinful they were. [Those laws were valid] until [Jesus came. He was] the descendant that God [was referring to when he made] the promises to Abraham. [The laws] were given {[God] gave [his laws]} [to Moses] by God’s causing angels to [speak to him. Moses was the] mediator, [the one who told the laws to the people].

20 Now, a mediator for one is impossible; but God is one.

Now, [when] a mediator [functions], one [person] is not [speaking with another] directly; but God himself [made his promises directly to Abraham].

21 Is the law, then, against the promises of God? It can not be. For if a law had been given which could have given life, surely righteousness would have been by law.

[If someone should ask, “When God gave his] laws [to Moses] long [after he told Abraham] what he was promising [to give to him, was he] changing his mind?” [I would reply that God] certainly did not [change his mind when he did that]! If God had given a law that could enable people to live [eternally], then it actually would be because of people [obeying that] law that God would erase the record of their sins.

22 But the scripture has shut up all under sin, that the promise by faith in Christ Jesus may be given to those who believe.

But instead, [what we read in] the Scriptures [PRS] is that God [caused all people to be unable to escape being punished for] their [sins] [MET], just like [people] in prison [are unable to escape] [PRS, MET]. [God did that in order that he might give what he promised to those who trust Jesus Christ, just] because they trust him.

23 But before the faith came, we were kept under law, being shut up to the faith which was to be revealed.

Before [God revealed the good message about] trusting [in Christ], the laws [PRS] that God gave to Moses were [confining/imprisoning us Jews] [MET], [as] a prisoner [in jail is] confined. [We] were unable to escape [obeying those] [MET] [laws]. This happened in order that [we might believe] the good message [concerning Christ, the message that God would] reveal [later].

24 So, then, the law was our pedagogue that led us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

[Like a father supervises his immature son by appointing a] servant to take care of him [MET], [God] was supervising us [by] his laws [MET, PRS] until Christ came. [He did this] in order that he might erase the record of our sins [only] because we trust [Christ].

25 But since the faith has come, we are no longer under a pedagogue:

But [now that God] has revealed the message [about trusting in Christ], the laws [that God gave to Moses] are no longer supervising us [Jews] [PRS, MET].

26 for you are all the sons of God, by faith in Christ Jesus:

Now all of you [Jews and] non-Jews are [as though you are] God’s children because you trusted Christ Jesus.

27 for as many of you as have been immersed into Christ, have put on Christ.

That is, you who [began a relationship] with Christ when you were baptized identified yourselves [MET] with Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bondman nor freeman, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

[If you are believers, it does] not [matter to God if you are] Jews or non-Jews; slaves or ones [who are] not slaves; males or females, because all of you are [as] one [sort of person because of your relationship] with Christ Jesus.

29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s posterity, and heirs according to the promise.

Furthermore, since you belong to Christ, you are [like] Abraham’s descendants [because you trust God as Abraham did], and you will possess/receive all that God has promised [MET].