Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you not be persuaded by the Truth—Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as having been crucified, before your very eyes!

2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

Just tell me one thing: Did you receive the Spirit by works of law, or by hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

Can you be so foolish? Having begun in spirit, do you finish in flesh?

4 Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?

Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing?

5 Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?

Furthermore, He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, is He activated by works of law, or by hearing of faith?—

6 So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

just as Abraham ‘believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.’

7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.

Now you must know that only those who are of faith are ‘sons’ of Abraham.

8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

Further, the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, proclaimed the Gospel in advance to Abraham: “All the nations will be blessed through you.”

9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

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

10 All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Now as many as are ‘by works of law’ are under a curse; because it stands written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the Book of the Law, to do them.”

11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”

Further, it is evident that no one is justified by law before God, because “the righteous one will live by faith.”

12 The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”

While the law is not of faith but, “the man who does them will live by them.”

13 Christ 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 tree.”

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse in our place—because it stands written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”—

14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations/Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith.

15 Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.

Brothers: as a man I speak a covenant; though only of a man, once it has been ratified no one annuls or adds to it.

16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.

But to Abraham were spoken the promises, and to his Seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as about many, but “and to your seed,” as about one, who is Christ.

17 What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.

Further, I say this: a covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ cannot be annulled by the law that came four hundred and thirty years later, so as to make the promise of no effect.

18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

For if the inheritance were of law, it would no longer be of promise, but God granted it to Abraham by promise.

19 Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.

Why then the law? It was added on account of the transgressions, until the Seed should come to whom the inheritance had been promised; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator.

20 A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.

(Now that mediator is not for just one, but God is one.)

21 Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.

Is the law then against the promises of God? Of course not! Rather, if a law had been given that was capable of imparting life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

22 But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

Now before this faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, in confinement until the coming faith was revealed.

24 So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.

25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

So all of you are sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

—there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no ‘male and female’; all of you are one in Christ Jesus—

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

so if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.